DISINFO: Poland is becoming a pariah state, which cannot count on the EU and the USA
SUMMARY
It is likely that the situation with the “Nord Stream - 2” pushed the Polish MPs to adopt the law on foreign investments in domestic media – the main victim of this regulation will be the TVN channel owned by the American company Discovery. Poland is rapidly becoming a pariah state that cannot count on both the European Union and the United States.
RESPONSE
A recurring disinformation narrative about Polish foreign policy – Poland is presented as a country that faces dramatic problems in relations with the European Union and the USA.
The claim that Poland is becoming a “pariah state” is a clear manipulation. Despite particular political disagreements with the EU and the USA, Poland does not face any international isolation. Poland continues to be one of the closest allies of the USA and an active member of the European Union.
The claim that the recent media law is a Polish “revenge” to the USA for its agreement on Nord Stream 2 with Germany is unfounded.
Currently, Poland faces a domestic political dispute around the so-called “TVN law”, which was recently adopted by the Polish Parliament. This amendment prevents non-European companies from owning a majority of shares in Polish media. According to the Polish authorities, this law protects the Polish media market from Russian and Chinese propaganda. The Polish opposition and media community believe that this law is aimed against the most popular anti-governmental media group TVN, which is owned by the American Discovery company. The US authorities and the EU showed their concerns with this law, which may challenge the situation of media freedom in Poland.
See other cases connected to the Polish foreign policy: Poland is not a sovereign state; Poland is not perceived as a country with an independent foreign policy, and Poland is governed by the US Embassy.