The enactment of a new Polish media law, and with it the future model for financing the public broadcaster TVP, is once more up in the air.
Gazeta Wyborcza reports that the Civic Platform (PO) -led government’s plan to replace receiver licence fees with a subsidy obtained from VAT payments is being opposed by the left-of-centre SLD party.
Without its support, there is no way the proposal will be able to overturn an expected presidential veto.
Although the SLD would like to see receiver licence fees scrapped, it argues that the VAT proposal would need to be given the go-ahead by the EU and that this could take years to receive.
Instead, it would like to see TVP’s funding be in part obtained from a monthly levy of PLN8 (€1.83) from each TV household’s tax bill.
The SLD is also opposing the government’s plans to restructure the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT).