Law and Justice MEP Jacek Ozdoba issued an apology to journalist Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska after questioning her professional independence.
Controversial Remarks About TVN Journalist
Law and Justice European MP Jacek Ozdoba referred to TVN television as a “propaganda tube for the Civic Platform” during a discussion about the “7. Dzień Tygodnia” program broadcast on December 15, 2024, on Radio ZET and YouTube.
During the discussion, the PiS MEP mentioned the name of long-time TVN political journalist Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska, asking if she was “on Donald Tusk’s phone” when prompted by host Andrzej Stankiewicz.
Lawsuit and Apology
The journalist filed a civil lawsuit demanding an apology and payment to the TVN Foundation. On Wednesday after 11 PM, Ozdoba posted a statement on his X profile where he clarified that “Ms. Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska is a reliable and professional journalist.”
“My statement was not intended to question her competence or professional achievements. If my statement was interpreted differently, I express regret for this reason. This statement is made as a result of reaching a settlement agreement,” the statement read.
Professional Backgrounds
Jacek Ozdoba has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2024. Previously, he was a member of parliament from Solidary Poland and served as Deputy Minister of Climate from 2020 to 2023. Before his parliamentary career, he was a councilor for the Mokotów district and the city of Warsaw.
Katarzyna Kolenda-Zaleska has been working at TVN and TVN24 since 2003. For 10 years prior, she was associated with “Wiadomości” on Polish Television. From 2016 to 2024, she was also president of the TVN Foundation.
