Protest in defense of Media Freedoms in Warsaw, Poland by Attila Husejnow / SOPA Images
Thousands of people came to the presidential palace in Warsaw to protest against restrictions of media freedom by the Polish government. On Friday 17th of December a bill to restrict foreign ownership of Polish media was unexpectedly passed by the Polish parliament. The proposed law is seen to be aimed in particular at Poland’s largest private broadcaster – US-owned TVN, whose coverage is often critical of the government and is seen by many as a TV station that defends freedom of speech. The bill (called Lex TVN) now heads to the president, Andrzej Duda, who must decide whether to sign it into law. If he does so, it could prompt a diplomatic crisis with the US, which has strongly criticised the legislation.
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