Poland to add broadcasters to list of strategic companies, PM says (updated)

Cyfrowy Polsat SA

11/12/2024 12:36

(Adds Tusk comment in paragraphs 3-5)
       WARSAW, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Poland will add broadcasters
TVN and Polsat  CPS.WA , to a list of strategic companies which
cannot be taken over without government approval, the prime
minister said on Wednesday.
    Adding two of the country's biggest broadcasters to the list
highlights increased concern about foreign interference,
particularly in national elections.
    "I decided to add to a list of entities subject to
protection... TVN and Polsat television stations. They will be
included in the list of strategic companies subject to
protection from takeovers," Donald Tusk told a news conference.
    "This decision means that without the consent of the Polish
government it is impossible to sell or buy (these) companies,"
Tusk said.
    "We will make decisions on this matter in a transparent
manner so that hostile states do not interfere in a brazen way,
as in Romania or Moldova, in our lives or economic processes."
    Romania's top court annulled an ongoing presidential
election this month after accusations of Russian meddling,
particularly on social media. 
    Russia denies interfering in elections in foreign countries.
    TVN is owned by U.S. company Warner Discovery  WBD.O . 
    Poland's list of strategic companies which cannot be taken
over without government consent currently includes mostly
energy, chemical and telecommunications companies.

 (Reporting by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz and Anna
Wlodarczak-Semczuk. Editing by Jane Merriman)
 ((anna.wlodarczak@thomsonreuters.com;))