Former Polish President Andrzej Duda sharply responded to PiS MP Dariusz Stefaniuk’s claims about U.S. influence on his 2021 veto of controversial media legislation.
Dariusz Stefaniuk on “lex TVN”: Duda would not have vetoed it without U.S. intervention
In 2021, Polish President Andrzej Duda vetoed the so-called “lex TVN,” which would have changed rules for granting concessions to media with foreign capital. Last October, during a Law and Justice congress, PiS MP Dariusz Stefaniuk claimed Duda would not have vetoed the legislation if U.S. Ambassador to Poland at the time, Mosbacher, had not called him directly.
“Let’s be direct, the American ambassador called the Polish president,” Stefaniuk stated.
Andrzej Duda: “Don’t concern ourselves with people who are embarrassing”
On Monday, February 2, Andrzej Duda appeared on Channel Zero. When asked about Stefaniuk’s comments, Duda stated he would not comment on “a guest who has no idea about serious politics.”
“I have no idea who told him such stories… Let’s not concern ourselves with people who are embarrassing,” Duda responded.
Dariusz Stefaniuk recalls interview with Marek Brzezinski
The PiS MP responded to Duda on Tuesday, suggesting the former president could clarify his position. Stefaniuk posted an interview from December 2024 with then-U.S. Ambassador to Poland Marek Brzezinski, who admitted being “personally involved” in the “lex TVN” case. Stefaniuk noted that Duda had previously awarded Brzezinski with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Poland on “lex TVN”
Brzezinski stated in an interview that “media pluralism is the foundation of Polish democracy.” He confirmed being personally involved from his first day as ambassador, meeting with Polish Ambassador to Washington, Marek Magierowski, the day after his appointment to discuss the legislation.
“I proposed he convey our request to veto ‘lex TVN,’ as it would have been interference in media freedom and freedom of speech in Poland. If that had happened, I could have really increased engagement at the highest level,” Brzezinski said.
