The Polish public broadcaster TVP faces a fine for signing contracts with SES Astra without announcing tenders. The Polish Public Procurement Office (UZP) has told Broadband TV News that its president contacted TVP at the beginning of this month about two agreements it signed with the Luxembourg-based satellite operator.
The first, dated September 2006 and for the distribution of digital services, was for an amount of PLN64,708,250 (€16,299,600) and in violation of the law on public procurement dated, September 29, 2004.
The second, dated September 2009, was for the renewal of usage of transponder number 59 until December 31, 2014 and transponder number 53 until September 30, 2015. The deal was for PLN86,847,040 and again in violation of the law on public procurement.
When contacted by Broadband TV News, SES Astra referred the matter to TVP, who were in turn not contactable.
The UZP has been investigating an agreement with SES Astra signed by the former TVP president Piotr Farfal for at least a year. It was concluded just prior to the launch of TVP’s ill-fated DTH platform in late 2009.
