Unfortunately, even the newspapers who consider themselves right-wing, which should – at least theoretically – refrain from taking taxpayers' money, including the EU, do so without embarrassment.
The weekly “To the Thing” published an article entitled “Cross-border cooperation with EU support” which was added: “The material was created in cooperation with the Centre for European Projects with the financial support of the European Union”. The “On the Web” week for EU grant money published a series of articles entitled “On the Network of European Funds”.
The weekly “I consider Rzecz” besides welcomed the usage of EU grants and presented them in a affirmative light. In his texts he encouraged Polish entrepreneurs to take EU money. Does he besides get money from the EU? In the periodical, it is vain to search specified information. specified texts for money from specified a origin are nothing more than insolent pro-EU and pro-permanent propaganda.
Similarly, radio stations (e.g. Polish Radio, RMF FM) passionately aired advertising about how EU subsidies allegedly stimulated business development, while besides helping disabled women to run the company, so that they got out of the margins of social life. The Higher Business School of Dąbrowa Górnicza announced on Eska Radio that respective courses of survey were full funded by the EU. In an advertisement at Radio Katowice, the Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship encouraged the medical manufacture to receive grants. There were besides announcements in the ether at the time as part of social campaigns encouraging the eating of fish, of course besides for the money of the EU taxpayer. There is no shortage of EU money on the Internet. For example, a run to encourage pork eating was conducted any time ago.
In turn, the Agricultural marketplace Agency was to spend PLN 2.5 million on the promotion run of the EU’s “Fruit and Vegetables at School” programme (animated series, song, radio, television, net and social media advertising, PR activities and website). In 2014, over PLN 7.5 million were distributed to Polish media as part of the European Funds Information Fund Grant Competition. RMF Group received almost PLN 550 1000 from radio stations (the programme “Direction: Fundusze”, Radio Zet – PLN 450 1000 (“Program for Success”) and Polish Radio – almost PLN 217 1000 (European Funds — fresh Perspective). Among the press projects the most received local weekly – PLN 546 1000 (the task “Let’s talk about European Funds”), Murator (“Super Express”, “Murator”, “Health”, “M like Mama”) – PLN 520 1000 (“Poland, scope for EU Funds”), Polandpresse (local newspapers) – almost PLN 480 1000 (“European Funds”. fresh Hand), Ringier Axel Springer Polska (Fakt, athletics Review) – PLN 475 1000 (European Funds – what's next, what's new), Edipresse Poland (Friendship, Home Guide) – over PLN 370 1000 (Polki – Europejki) or Bonnier Business (Business Puls), “Puls Biznesu Extra”, “Puls Medycyń”, “Puls Pharmacy”) – almost PLN 370 1000 (Puls Funduszy Ujwejnych).
Lux Veritatis Foundation (TV Trwam, “Our Journal”, monthly magazine “In Our Family”) for the task “About European Union Funds 2014-2020, i.e. how much, to whom and for what”? received almost 380 1000 PLN. The largest net portals were besides well covered: Virtual Group Poland received PLN 593 1000 for the task "Foundations for Change", Grupalnteria.pl for the task "European Funds — Information Service" – PLN 550 1000 and Group Onet.pl for the task "New Perspective, fresh Opportunities" – PLN 335,000.
A year earlier, the full amount of grants awarded in the competition was even higher and reached almost PLN 10 million, and in 2012 – PLN 11 million. In 2013, 1 of the main beneficiaries was tv Polska, which received PLN 2 million for the task "See how Poland changes thanks to the EU Funds" (Great Test on Europe). TVN and Polsat besides received grants in another years. Since 2007, grants of respective 100 1000 zlotys have been awarded to publishers of most of the most crucial titles on the market, specified as “Wprost”, “Politics”, “Rzeczpospolita”, “Corporate”, “The Sunday Guest”, “Dziennik Gazeta Prawna”, “I consider Rzeź”, “Newsweek Polska”, “To Things”, “Network”, “Gazeta Wyborcza” or “Metro”. As you can see, grants take all media regardless of their beliefs (and conservative, liberal, and Catholic), political position (and pro-government, and anti-government, and trying to be neutral) or the origin of capital (and Polish, and foreign). In particular, for the profoundly troubled newspapers, the decline in the sales of printed versions, this is simply a truly large financial injection.
How, in this thicket of propaganda and indoctrination going on a full steam, can the average man, who is not known for economics, learn the fact in almost exclusively pro-EU views appearing in the media?
Media subsidies are only a tiny part of EU funds spent on EU propaganda. The Union spends tremendous amounts on financing NGOs. Only in 2015 more than €1.2 billion was spent across the EU to support organisations that lobby for European integration. However, not only money but even information for EU opponents is restricted. For example, there is an thought to take money from Eurosceptic factions in the European Parliament. From my own experience: my request to participate in the European Commission Representation seminar in Warsaw in 2017 was rejected, due to the fact that I was supposedly “regarded to the large number of applications” for me.
Will teachers talk to students about the harm to EU grants erstwhile they go to different courses and conferences for EU money? Will the monthly car commercials compose about the VW brand forgeries in exhaust emanation testing? Can a medical diary publishing drug ads afford an article about corrupt practices of pharmaceutical companies? Will state companies advertise and advertise in newspapers that are constantly complaining about the government? Nope. Therefore, the majority of the media lacks articles that accurately analyse the pros and cons of Polish EU membership or criticise EU funds and regulations. You can't criticize the Union due to the fact that then you won't get the money.
Tadeusz Piepienik
A fragment of the latest book entitled “Twenty Years in the Union. Membership Balance”, Issued by B&T Press 2024, ps. 310. Orders: tomcuk@interia.pl
