Polish president vetoes bill hitting US firm

WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s president on Monday vetoed a media bill that would have forced U.S. company Discovery to give up its controlling share in Polish television network TVN.

For many, it was a victory for freedom of speech and media independence in a country where democratic norms are being challenged by the nationalist government.

The veto was also expected to be welcomed by Washington, which had been seeking to defend the largest U.S. investment in Poland.

President Andrzej Duda noted that the bill was unpopular with many Poles and would have dealt a blow to Poland’s reputation as a place to do business.

“Contracts have to be kept,” Duda said at a news conference in Warsaw where he announced his veto. “For us Poles it is a matter of honor.”

The bill, recently passed by the lower house of parliament, would have prevented any non-European entity from owning more than a 49% stake in television or radio broadcasters in Poland.

Its practical effect would have targeted only one existing company, Discovery Inc., forcing the U.S. owner of Poland’s largest private television network, TVN, to sell the majority or even all of its Polish holdings.

The ruling party, Law and Justice, pushed the legislation and argued that it was important for national security and sovereignty to ensure that no company outside of Europe can control companies that help form public opinion.

Party spokeswoman Anita Czerwinska said party leaders respect the prerogative of the president, who is a party ally, but were “disappointed” in his decision.

“European countries protect their media market against excess foreign capital, considering this area strategic for security and national security,” Czerwinska said, arguing that not protecting that market would lead to “submission to other states (and) their interests.”

Yet many Poles saw the bill as an attempt to silence a broadcaster with an all-news station viewed by millions.