The management of TV station TVN has responded with „appreciation and joy” to President Andrzej Duda’s decision to veto a legal change which would have forced the network’s American owners to give up their controlling share.
Duda said yesterday that he’d noted the proposed change to the Broadcasting Act was unpopular with many Poles, and that it would have compromised Poland’s reputation as a place to do business.
He added that the bill would have violated the terms of a Polish–U.S. economic treaty signed in the 1990s, and that Poland could have faced penalties reaching billions of dollars if it had become law.
The act would have limited ownership of Polish media outlets by entities outside the European Economic Area to no more than a 49% share.
PiS spokesperson Anna Czerwińska said that the party was disappointed by the president’s decision, and that steps still need to be taken to protect the Polish media market from submission to foreign interests.
Source: PAP, AP, polskieradio24.pl
Former member of parliament indicted for „pack of dogs” comment about Polish soldiers
Prosecutors have indicted former member of parliament Władysław Frasyniuk for insulting Polish soldiers, after an August TV interview in which he said soldiers at the Poland-Belarus border were like a „pack of dogs surrounding poor, weak people”. In the interview Frasyniuk went on to say that the soldiers’ behaviour was „garbage”, and „anti-Polish”.
His remarks were referred to prosecutors by the head of the Ministry of National Defence. The opposition activist has been charged with „insulting and humiliating” Polish soldiers, and „risking the loss of trust needed to perform their services”.
The crime carries a possible jail sentence of up to one year.
Source: PAP, rp.pl
’Relatively quiet’ Christmas at Poland-Belarus border
The Border Guard has reported a „relatively quiet” Christmas period at the Belarusian frontier.
Spokesperson Anna Michalska added that there were still almost daily attempts to cross the border by force, with more than 140 such incidents between 24 and 26 December.
She said that after midnight on Monday a group of 36 people forced their way into Poland close to the town of Mielnik. The group, which comprised mainly Iraqis, Indians, and Egyptians, was immediately arrested and instructed to leave the country. None of them wanted to apply for international protection, Michalska said.
Source: polskieradio24.pl
Safest festive holiday in years on Polish roads
The Christmas weekend was also quieter than usual for Poland’s road emergency crews. Police announced the country’s lowest death toll in many years over the festive holidays, with four fatalities.
Last year the number was 32, and the year before that 20. In total this Christmas saw 110 road accidents with 140 injuries.
Police also detained more than 500 people for drink driving.
Source: polskieradio24.pl
Don’t bin Christmas leftovers, let them feed others
If you find yourself with a fridge full of Christmas leftovers, the Tri City food bank is encouraging you to share food rather than waste it.
There are several community fridges in the area where you can leave packed dishes, which must be clearly labelled with a description and the date they were prepared.
The food bank also runs „social stores” in Gdynia and Gdańsk which accept store-bought items which need to be in-date and in unopened packaging. Donated food is distributed to poorer families and the homeless.
More information about community fridges here, and the food bank’s social stores here.
Source: radiogdansk.pl, bztrojmiasto.pl, gdansk.pl
Weather
Staying very cold today in Gdańsk with a daytime high of -5°C, 23°F, and a moderate breeze making it feel a few degrees colder still. It’ll stay cloudy with no snow expected. Temperatures will slowly creep up overnight to around 0°C, 32°F, tomorrow and up into positive numbers on the Celsius scale by Thursday.
Andrew Carter/MarWer
