A major fund-raiser for victims of the recent floods in Poland has become an issue in the final stage of the presidential campaign.

Candidate Bronislaw Komorowski, in a letter to Jaroslaw Kaczynski, said he was disappointed that the event organized by the Great Orchestra of Charity Aid is not being supported by TVP public television.

“This is strong proof that public media are not realizing their mission,” said Komorowski, appealing to Kaczynski as leader of the Law and Justice party to influence the TVP authorities on this issue.

The board of public TV is dominated by members delegated by Law and Justice and the Democratic Left Alliance.

“I have no influence on public television,” Jaroslaw Kaczynski protested at a press conference today but he appealed to all TV stations, both public and private, to treat all schemes aiding flood victims equally. 

The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity is collecting money over the weekend, this time to buy equipment indispensable in removing flood damages. Its list includes efficient water pumps, power generators and boats.

The charity usually organizes annual fund raisers just after Christmas in Poland and is usually supported by TVP. But not this time.

Jurek Owsiak, the Orchestra’s leader, has accused TVP of failing to realize their public mission, and called on Poles to stop paying their license fee.

TTVP president Romuald Orzel points out however that over the past 10 years support for the Orchestra cost over 22 million zlotys (5.3 m euro) and that public TV has been cooperating with organizations such as the Catholic charity Caritas to help flood victims. (kk/pg)