Controversy surrounds TVP's choice of presenters for election programs

National television network TVP has given details of its election coverage in the run-up to next month's poll. Leaders of the various political parties will have the chance to explain their policies in special interviews and debates featured in two daily programs broadcast on TVP1. "For sure it's a challenge, but we are not afraid of any questions," said Pawel Piskorski, Mayor of Warsaw and head of the Civic Platform (PO) election team. However, many political parties have objected to the choice of the journalists who will host the two TVP1 programs, Piotr Gembarowski and Andrzej Kwiatkowski. "They are people who have openly declared their sympathies among the political parties. If this will have an influence on the impartiality of the program, all blame will fall on the authorities of Polish Television," Piskorski added. (Zycie, p. 4) A.K.