Machała wrote on his internet site that Tomasz Arabski, the head of the Chancellery of Prime Minister’s demanded during a telephone conversation that a journalist from PAP would refrain from asking Donald Tusk questions about the reprivatisation law. The Prime Minister promised adopting this law in 2008. After the phone call, the journalist indeed did not question Donald Tusk about it.
In its letter, the Helsinki Foundation For Human Rights expressed concerns about the existing situation. According to the Foundation, the events described by Tomasz Machala are yet another example of the political influence on public media, which violates the independence of the media and poses a threat to the freedom of speech. They stand in a sharp contrast to all the attempts to depoliticize the public media and are especially alarming due to the nature of the work done by PAP. PAP remains to be the main source of information for the other polish media and often handles topics important to democracy and the public debate.
The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights highlighted the political character of the procedures of appointing the supervisory board of the PAP. This is done by the general assembly which in practice means the Treasury Minister, who is PAP’s sole shareholder. This results in Agency’s dependence on the political body.
Already in the past, the Foundation made numerous attempts to draw attention to the practice of pressuring editors, which is a serious threat to the freedom of the media. The independence of the journalists plays here a key role. They should be given the opportunity to provide the public with all the information, also that which is controversial and not necessarily convenient for the government.
In its letter to the Prime Minister, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights reminded about the European standards concerning the freedom of expression formulated by the European Court of Human Rights. In the Manole and others v. Moldova decision, the Court said that the public authorities should guarantee the independence of the media. The Court observed that it is the State itself that must be the ultimate guarantor of pluralism and that the State has a duty to ensure that the public has access to impartial and accurate information and a range of opinions and comments, reflecting the diversity of political outlook within the country. In the opinion of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, this standard should also apply to press agencies.
The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights appealed to the Prime Minister to introduce necessary changes to the mechanisms of managing and supervising the public media, especially the Polish Press Agency. These changes should aim at de-politicizing the Agency and guarantee the independence of the journalists.
*Zuzanna Warso – a volunteer at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
