The Minister of Justice races into the spotlight as Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz reshapes Poland’s public media landscape. Adam Bodnar notes that the Sejm’s resolution, tied to the provisions of the Commercial Companies Code, supplies the legal footing for the minister of Culture and National Heritage to act within the public media’s framework. The statement comes amid ongoing changes and public scrutiny.
Earlier today, at the invitation of a bloc of parliamentarians, the Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Human Rights convened a session where the Justice Minister outlined the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of boards at Telewizja Polska SA, Polska Agencja Prasowa SA, and Polskie Radio SA, and the move toward liquidation as discussed in the meeting.
Opposition reactions
According to Zbigniew Bogucki, a PiS representative and one of the petitioners, a parallel situation in Poland’s media system has not been seen since the era when the television signals were shut down by the communists. The sentiment was voiced with a sharp edge, highlighting deep concern about governance in state media.
Parliamentarians pressed for clarity. They asked the minister to address the legality of actions taken by Mr. Sienkiewicz in managing public media, including board changes and supervisory shifts, and whether the Minister of Justice, in his dual role as attorney general, had intervened.
– That question was raised in the committee room,
In response, Bodnar reminded lawmakers that in 2023, following elections, public media suffered from heightened politicization. He defended the measures taken by the head of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, insisting that the Sejm resolution, together with the provisions of the Commercial Code, provided grounds for the minister’s actions in relation to the public media.
– While the Sejm resolution is not normative in nature, Bodnar said, it is declaratory, and when paired with the ministry’s property rights, it creates a basis for taking targeted steps to improve the functioning of public media.
Procedures around media control
Bodnar explained that the Warsaw Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing events at TVP and TVP Info on Plac Wilsona. He also noted an ongoing investigation by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw regarding alleged abuse of power by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, with reports of charges related to a notary. He stressed that the Attorney General should remain as independent as possible from criminal proceedings to preserve the integrity of the Public Prosecution Service, allowing prosecutors to make their own decisions in these cases.
– That is the stance,
During the questions from parliamentarians, the Justice Minister underscored the need to restore functioning in public media so they serve society and reflect the interests that the Sejm had articulated in December. He warned that liquidation and permanent liquidation are not the same thing and promised written, detailed responses to questions about public media.
Bodnar’s closing remarks
The minister stressed a commitment to rebuilding the rule of law after years of disruption. Speaking to the Sejm Commission on Justice and Human Rights, he stated that the core aim of the regulation is to ensure that no one acts as a judge in their own case and to keep the process fair and transparent.
Yesterday, Bodnar announced a regulatory change intended to recalibrate how ordinary courts handle cases. The reform aims to prevent a judge appointed under the same process from arbitrarily excluding themselves or recusing in ways that undermine the system. The measure also addresses judges who were previously appointed and who might re-enter the judiciary under different circumstances. It also clarifies that those reappointed judges would not be bound to the same automatic case allocations as earlier procedures.
The reform does not apply to assessors or to judges who have resigned and later returned under a different arrangement, with Commission rules guiding appointments. The National Council for the Judiciary has signaled it will escalate the issue to the Constitutional Tribunal, viewing the changes as a constitutional concern.
The Justice Minister’s actions have drawn sharp reactions from the National Council for the Judiciary, which indicated it would seek further constitutional review. Some observers argue these moves effectively permit continued involvement in public media oversight, raising concerns about legal overreach.
In a pointed assessment, it was suggested that Sienkiewicz might have obtained tacit approval from the Justice Ministry to press ahead with controversial activities in public media. The ongoing political dynamics keep the media governance debate intensely charged.
Related readings reflect ongoing debates about judicial independence, ministerial influence, and the balance of powers in Poland’s legal and media ecosystems. These discussions underscore the high sensitivity around public media management and the safeguards needed to preserve the integrity of state institutions.