Poland to protect major TV stations from potential Russian takeovers

Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, announced on Wednesday that the government will protect major television stations in the country, including the U.S.-owned TVN, from hostile takeovers, particularly those potentially initiated by Russia, News.az reports citing foreign media.

Tusk stressed that the directive to be adopted next week is to safeguard against Russia’s attempts to influence Europe’s democracy and political processes. He pointed to the recent presidential election in Romania that was voided on allegations of Russian influence.

The election was a “negative event” that “confirmed Russia’s incessant readiness to attack with the use of increasingly more sophisticated methods and tools,” Tusk said.

Poland and other countries supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia’s military aggression have been targeted by cyber attacks on their electricity grids, banking systems and state offices.

Tusk said that Poland’s most popular station TVN, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, and the private Polsat station will be added to a list of protected businesses that require government permission to sell.

“TVN and Polsat will be put in the register of strategic firms that are under protection against hostile takeover or one that is considered dangerous from the point of view of the interest of the Polish state,” Tusk said,

He spoke alongside visiting Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, as both stressed they share views on protecting the region’s security in the face of Russia’s war on Ukraine. Both countries, who are members of the European Union bordering Russia, provide Ukraine with political, military and humanitarian support.

“We want to protect our countries and the European Union against interference into the electoral processes or attempts at taking over or interfering with the work of our media,” Tusk said.

Media reports say that Warner Bros. Discovery is planning to sell TVN and that the right-wing and EU-sceptic Law and Justice party might be interested in buying it. Polsat is at the center of bitter infighting over its control within its owner, Zygmunt Solorz’s family.

News.Az