photo by: Beige Alert / flickr.com

The draft bill was initially passed in 2008, but president Lech Kaczynski refused to sign it exercising his constitutional right of the veto. The bill is brought before the Lower House again, which has to muster a three fifths of supportive votes in order to overturn the Presidential veto.

Click on the audio icon to listen to the report by Agnieszka Bielawska

The  regulation is proposed by the ruling coalition of the Civic Platform and the Polish Peasant Party together with the opposition Social Democratic Left Alliance. The amendments to the public radio and television bill refer to the appointment of radio and television regulatory bodies, the shift of competencies and management and finances.

Should the legislation be passed, it will lead to the abolition of receiver licence fees and new rules implemented on the selection of members of the National Broadcasting Council  as well as the heads of the public broadcaster TVP and Polish Public Radio.