The new acting president of Poland’s state broadcaster, TVP, was not allowed into the building this morning, after deposed president Piotr Farfal barred him from starting work.
President of Poland’s public television, Piotr Farfal was sacked by TVP’s supervisory board at the weekend Farfal claims the move has no legal basis, however.
His replacement, Boguslaw Szwedo was not given a pass at reception when he tried to start work today. A receptionist refused to grant him the pass explaining that this is Piotr Farfal’s decision. Szwedo tried to contact him, but he was said to be too busy. Boguslaw Szwedo said that he was going to leave Farfal a letter informing him that he has been dismissed and had no power to deny anyone entering the building.
The supervisory board dismissed the entire Board of Directors, Saturday, though no official reason has been given for the mass sackings.
In the past, however, the board has criticised Farfal for alleged financial incompetence and for biased news coverage on the channel’s many news programmes. It was alleged, for instance, that during the European election campaign this summer TVP gave disproportionate airtime to the anti-Lisbon Treaty Libertas party, despite it having little support within Poland.
Piotr Farfal’s political allegiances have been questioned since he took over the post as head of the company last year.
Skinhead past
Photographs of an 18 year-old Farfal were published in the Fakt tabloid recently, showing him give a Nazi salute. He wrote for extremist far-right magazines when in college and when the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper described him as an “ex-neo-Nazi” Farfal sued for defamation of character. The case was eventually thrown out of court.
The decision to sack Farfal, however, may be a subject to long litigation, as he claims that the board itself is illegal. He said that their decisions have no legal force and that he would sue anyone who tries to execute them.
“Anyone who tries to spread chaos in TVP on the basis of illegal resolutions will be sued by its authorities for acting to the detriment of the company” wrote Farfal in his statement.
Three another important TVP figures who had been suspended since December 2008 were also dismissed at the weekend. Andrzej Urbanski, the chairman of the board and two members of the board: Sławomir Siwek and Marcin Bochenek have all lost their placed on the Board of Directors.
The new president, Boguslaw Szwedo, has been a member of the TVP supervisory board since 10 January 2007. He was recommended by Law and Justice party.
Piotr Farfal, insists that he won’t allow him to enter the television headquarters. Szwedo declared that he wouldn’t use force to enter the building. (pg/kk)