In the communication, which was signed by Minister Sienkiewicz, we can read:
Following the decision of the president of the Republic of Poland to suspend financing of public media I decided to liquidate the companies tv Polska S.A, Polskie Radio S.A. and the Polish Press Agency. In the present situation, specified action will safeguard the continued operation of these companies, carry out the essential restructuring in them and prevent the dismissals of employees in the abovementioned companies due to deficiency of funding. The liquidation may be revoked at any time by the owner.
Communication from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage
In connection with the decision of the president of the Republic of Poland to suspend financing of public media, I decided to put the Polish tv S.A., Polish Radio S.A. and Polish Agency in liquidation... pic.twitter.com/gXXQMxNMrS
— Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (@kultura_gov.pl) December 27, 2023
The conflict on public media started last week erstwhile the Ministry of Culture announced that the recently appointed Minister of Culture Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz dismissed the current directors of Polish Television, Polish Radio and Polish Press Agency and their supervisory board.
The Minister of Culture besides appointed fresh supervisory boards of companies which in turn chose fresh boards. The MKiDN explained that this was a consequence of the resolution of the Sejm, in which Members called on the Treasury to reconstruct legal order and impartiality and reliability of public media and the Polish Press Agency. In response, politicians associated with Law and Justice began the “occupation” of public media headquarters. There have been clashes between supporters of fresh and old authorities.
Will public media halt broadcasting?
The plan to start the liquidation of public media companies has already been taken into account. TVP, PR and PAP are public limited companies whose sole owner is the Treasury. In order to formally destruct them, resolution on their dissolution is necessary. This can be done by the Minister liable for culture and national heritage, who represents the Treasury at general meetings.
Minister Sienkiewicz's decision to put TVP, Polish Radio and PAP into liquidation is simply a confession of defeat by the government majority. Blitzkrieg failed.
Minister Sienkiewicz acts like a typical aggressor. First he violently assaulted, and now—to be effective...
— Marcin Mastalerek (@MMastalerek) December 27, 2023
The liquidation means the appointment of liquidators who replace the management board in the management of the company and its representation. Pursuant to Article 463(1) of the Commercial Companies Code (of which the companies are subordinate), liquidators are members of the company's board of directors unless the statutes or resolutions of the general gathering supply otherwise. The Minister, who decides to terminate the company, can so appoint a liquidator or liquidators outside the current structures of TVP, PR and PAP. The Minister may initiate this procedure on his own without the approval of the National Media Council or any another body.
However, starting the liquidation process does not mean that PR and TVP programmes and the activities of PAP journalists will no longer continue.
