TVP ordered to pay zl. 100,000 fine and apologize for journalistic breach

Polish public television TVP has been ordered by a court to pay presidential candidate Janusz Korwin-Mikke's campaign team zl. 50,000 and zl. 50,000 to charitable organization Caritas Polska. On Aug. 3 TVP broadcast an election meeting of Korwin-Mikke in which the reporter made a comment which might be understood that the candidate's solution for pensioners who have insufficient incomes is to wash his car for zl. 5. The court agreed that the journalist presented his own comments as the candidate's words. According to the court's ruling, TVP is also obliged to broadcast an official apology to the candidate twice. TVP still has a right of appeal. The appeal needs to be decided by the court within 24 hours, according to the special pre-election procedure and that decision would be final. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 5)