The EBU has welcomed the crucial recognition given to the role of public service media and its importance for freedom and pluralism during the debate in the European Parliament on rule of law in Poland (19 January).

Following the debate, EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre said: “We strongly welcome the clarifications made by the European Commission during the debate and the recognition that public service media governance is a building block of media freedom and pluralism.”

She added: “it is the Polish citizen that will decide on political matters in Poland. We appreciate the fact, that the Polish government demonstrates the readiness to engage in a dialog with European Institutions as well as to listen to independent experts on their way to continue the reform plans. We hope that during this process we can contribute to the best possible legal framework for the Polish public service media.”

“Public service media in Europe share a common set of values. In order to contribute their full value to society they need editorial independence, sustainable funding and editorial freedom to develop the content that matters”.

The European Parliament invited Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło to discuss the recent changes to the Polish constitutional tribunal and the governance of public service TV and radio, following the launch of a rule of law investigation by the European Commission last week.

The Prime Minister told the Parliament that the new Polish media law is a “prelude to further media reform” and claimed that “the kind of legislation we are preparing is equivalent to legislation in other Member States.” During her interventions, she frequently said that Poland respects rule of law and democracy.

The European Parliament intends to follow up on the debate by adopting a Resolution during the next plenary session in February.