NEWS

20/05/2019

08:57

PM's Office: 'Gazeta Wyborcza' Text Violates Prime Minister and Wife's Personal Rights; They Will Sue for Correction of Lies and Manipulations

Michał Olech

- The press has the right to scrutinize public figures, but it also has an obligation to do so reliably. "Gazeta Wyborcza" has failed to meet this obligation. As the text by Jacek Harłukowicz violates the personal rights of the Prime Minister and his wife, they have decided to take legal action, demanding a correction of the lies and manipulations contained within it - informed the Government Information Centre (CIR) in a statement published on the KPRM website.
"Gazeta Wyborcza" is once again violating fundamental standards of journalistic reliability. Today's text by Jacek Harłukowicz is based on implications, assumptions, speculation, and untrue statements. Its purpose is to portray the Prime Minister and his wife in a bad light - when in reality, the article itself is full of manipulation and unreliability. The author has omitted facts that contradict the theses he has put forward. For example, in the response provided to him by the Government Information Centre, it was clearly stated that Ms. Iwona Morawiecka gained knowledge about the possibility of acquiring the plot 17 years ago from more than one source ("Ms. Iwona Morawiecka obtained knowledge about the possibility of purchasing the plot, among other things, from an acquaintance who was involved in real estate sales intermediation"). The author of the article omitted this fragment and directly accused the Prime Minister and Ms. Iwona Morawiecka of lying - even though it is he who has strayed from the truth. Similarly, in the information provided to the editor by the Government Information Centre, a series of actual circumstances and sequences of events were indicated, which were omitted because they contradict "Gazeta Wyborcza's" thesis. The editor also omits the fact, cited in the CIR's communication, that these were the market prices for surrounding plots in that area at the time. Deception is achieved by not taking into account a series of limitations associated with the use of the plot. "Gazeta Wyborcza" omits significant facts relating to the condition of the property. To this day, it is agricultural land, and its de-agriculturalization involves significant costs. For the entire time, just like 15 and 20 years ago, crops are growing on the plot. Its potential exclusion from agricultural production would involve a cost exceeding PLN 5 million. The information about the spatial development plan is also a manipulation. It was adopted in 2003, and the purchase of the plot took place earlier."

Michał Olech