The court annulled the penalty for TVP. Maciej Świrski lost, “Rydzyk's Masterpiece” in the background

The District Court in Warsaw accepted the appeal of Telewizja Polska regarding the fine of PLN 145,000. PLN imposed on the broadcaster by the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council, Maciej Świrski, after the broadcast of the reportage “Rydzyk's Masterpiece” in the “Special Report” program. The National Broadcasting Council announces an appeal.

As noted, the court found that there were no grounds to punish the public broadcaster and overturned the decision of the National Broadcasting Council. Thus, he found that the broadcast “Rydzyk's Masterpiece” is “an expression of permissible public debate and does not violate the provisions of the Broadcasting Act, specifically Article 18(1) of this Act,” we read in the Friday information from TVP's corporate communications department.

The judgment was issued on April 10 and is not final. As informed to PAP by the press secretary of the National Broadcasting Council, Anna Ostrowska, The National Broadcasting Council will submit a request for written justification and will appeal.

In December 2024, journalists of the “Special Report” program revealed the behind-the-scenes of the financing of the “Memory and Identity” Museum. Saint John Paul II in Toruń. “In the reportage titled 'Rydzyk's Masterpiece', broadcast on December 13, 2024 on TVP1, Paweł Gregorowicz and Bianka Mikołajewska showed previously unknown details regarding, among others, the controversy related to the construction of the 'Memory and Identity' Museum, including financial uncertainties,” the information sent was recalled.

It was emphasized that the findings of TVP investigative journalists were confirmed by the Supreme Audit Office's audit.

The discussed penalty imposed on Telewizja Polska by Maciej Świrski is another decision of the chairman of the National Broadcasting Council, which the court found groundless. A similar situation applies, among others, to: transfer of funds from the subscription to a court deposit – also in these cases, the courts consistently issue decisions refusing to accept the funds and there are no grounds for submitting such applications – wrote the TVP corporate communications department in the information. (PAP)

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