Poland’s culture ministry has dismissed the directors of three national institutions and taken the decision to remove a fourth from office.
The directors dismissed on Thursday headed the Roman Dmowski and Jan Paderewski Institute for the Legacy of Polish National Thought (IDMN), the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valour (Pilecki Institute), and the Polish Film Institute (PISF), the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage said in a statement on Thursday.
The ministry also decided to recall the director of Polonika, The National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad.
Culture Minister Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz was quoted in a ministry press release as saying:
“Four institutions will be reclaimed for Polish men and women. I believe that these institutions can be maintained, repaired, and turned into something much more than a source of party self-financing,” said Sienkiewicz.
When they had been the opposition, the current governing parties often accused the former ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), of politicizing numerous public institutions and turning them into propaganda mouthpieces for PiS as well as conduits for transferring funds to PiS loyalists.
Jan Żaryn was removed from the helm of the IDMN as Sienkiewicz did not consent to “public money funding ultra-nationalist, ultra-Catholic organizations” or “extreme” ones such as the Independence March Association, the National Guard, the All-Polish Youth, or the Witaszków Family Foundation, which the minister described as “millionaires and sponsors of the ultra-Catholic university Ordo Iuris.”
Żaryn was replaced by acting director, sociology professor and journalist Adam Leszczynski, who is to oversee a new focus for the institute, on a comprehensive history of Polish political thought.
The remaining directors were accused of failure to fulfill their duties, mismanagement, and violating public finance discipline.
Erstwhile Pilecki Institute Director Magdalena Gawin will be replaced by her deputy, Wojciech Kozłowski.
Radosław Śmigulski was replaced at the helm of the Polish Film Institute following accusations of censorship. A new director will be chosen by way of a competition, until which point Kamila Dorbach will be serving as acting director.
Polonika’s director, Dorota Janiszewska-Jakubiak, will also be removed from office and replaced ad interim by Sylwia Tryc, the ministry press release said.
The ministry also decided to recall the director of Polonika, The National Institute of Polish Cultural Heritage Abroad.
Culture Minister Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz was quoted in a ministry press release as saying:
“Four institutions will be reclaimed for Polish men and women. I believe that these institutions can be maintained, repaired, and turned into something much more than a source of party self-financing,” said Sienkiewicz.
When they had been the opposition, the current governing parties often accused the former ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), of politicizing numerous public institutions and turning them into propaganda mouthpieces for PiS as well as conduits for transferring funds to PiS loyalists.
Jan Żaryn was removed from the helm of the IDMN as Sienkiewicz did not consent to “public money funding ultra-nationalist, ultra-Catholic organizations” or “extreme” ones such as the Independence March Association, the National Guard, the All-Polish Youth, or the Witaszków Family Foundation, which the minister described as “millionaires and sponsors of the ultra-Catholic university Ordo Iuris.”
Żaryn was replaced by acting director, sociology professor and journalist Adam Leszczynski, who is to oversee a new focus for the institute, on a comprehensive history of Polish political thought.
The remaining directors were accused of failure to fulfill their duties, mismanagement, and violating public finance discipline.
Erstwhile Pilecki Institute Director Magdalena Gawin will be replaced by her deputy, Wojciech Kozłowski.
Radosław Śmigulski was replaced at the helm of the Polish Film Institute following accusations of censorship. A new director will be chosen by way of a competition, until which point Kamila Dorbach will be serving as acting director.
Polonika’s director, Dorota Janiszewska-Jakubiak, will also be removed from office and replaced ad interim by Sylwia Tryc, the ministry press release said.
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