European Ombudsman for Human Rights: Attack on media as an attack on democracy

The European Ombudsman for Human Rights, Emily O'Reilly, in an interview for TVN24, referred to the planned imposition of a tax on advertising and emphasized that "every attack on the media is an attack on democracy and the rule of law", and membership in the European Union requires respecting these freedoms . Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stated that this tax "will not in any way limit the freedom of expression and will not attack media pluralism", but "may break the oligopoly of international behemoths that dominate the Polish media market".

In an interview with Maciej Sokołowski, Emily O'Reilly also referred to the situation in Poland regarding the Human Rights Ombudsman.

In Poland, yet another Ombudsman has not been appointed. After Adam Bodnar's term of office has ended, PiS wants this function to be taken over by Piotr Wawrzyk – MP and deputy minister of foreign affairs. Emily O'Reilly emphasized in an interview with Maciej Sokołowski that Adam Bodnar "is a very valued member of the community of spokespersons in the EU."

“I talked to him many times, the last time four weeks ago when he told me about the situation in Poland around the election of the successor. We observe his important work in Poland and I know that he is doing what he should do, what he was elected for. There is a term like a canary in a mine, a canary that was such an indicator as to whether a site is safe or not. An Ombudsman is someone who says whether it is safe or whether the rule of law is in place. But just like that canary and the Ombudsman could suffer from his role,” she said.

(EURACTIV.pl, TVN24)