Poland is in danger of breaking with the United States

A year ago, the United States and Poland wanted to close their ties more closely: 1,000 American soldiers had to be transferred from Germany to Poland. Polish President Andrzej Duda has spoken of renaming “Bart Trump” a camp. A year later, a lot has changed. History is not just about US President Donald Trump. Even the good relations that previously existed between the United States and Poland. The reason for this is the Polish media law.

“We are concerned about the laws passed in Poland (…) will severely undermine media freedom,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wrote in a text message on Twitter on Thursday. He called on the government in Warsaw to demonstrate its commitment to democratic values ​​and freedom of the press. The future of the living media culture is in jeopardy.

According to critics, Polish media law targets TVN24, the government’s main television channel, which is part of the US group Discovery, through a holding company registered in the Netherlands. The amendment to the Broadcasting Act can only be granted to foreigners in Poland in the future if they have “their headquarters or place of residence in the European Economic Area”. Therefore, the license of the TVN24 channel expires in September.

Poland rejects US criticism. Prime Minister Mathews Moraviki said on Thursday: “There is no point here about specific TV channels.” On the contrary, it is one thing for companies outside the EU to create rules so that they cannot buy any media in Poland.

In a vote on the law amendment on Wednesday evening, 228 MPs voted in favor and 216 against. The other ten did not vote. The amendment would require the Senate to pass a second chamber after the first chamber of parliament approves the first chamber. He can still make suggestions for changes.