Polish MEP charges journalists for London meeting?
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
31.08.2011 12:18
Journalists wishing to attend a meeting with former justice minister and prominent Law and Justice member Zbigniew Ziobro have been asked to pay 100 pounds sterling for the privilege, media reports.
The meeting is being organised this coming Sunday by the London club of Gazeta Polska, a right-wing weekly, as well as a UK Polish community portal, Barkadia.net.
At the meeting, Zbigniew Ziobro (pictured left) – formerly justice minister in Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s coalition government and currently an MEP from the party – is to head a conference entitled “A Vision for Poland’s Development”.
The 100-pound payment for the conference is to be paid into the account of the British club of Gazeta Polska.
Malgorzata Piotrowska, head of the Gazeta Polska club in the UK, told the liberal Gazeta Wyborcza daily that even if the journalists pay the accreditation fee, it does not guarantee a meeting with Ziobro.
“There is no possibility for Gazeta Wyborcza to be present at the meeting,” Piotrowska said, adding that there is to be a “different selection process” as the club wants “to avoid unfavourable accounts” of the meeting in the media.
Law and Justice maintains that the party was not informed about the financial demands of the meeting. (jb)