Poland: Soros-backed fund takes over major newspaper publisher
The Dutch company Pluralis, owned by US investor George Soros's Soros Economic Development Fund, has acquired a majority stake in Gremi Media, which publishes the second largest Polish daily, Rzeczpospolita. There had been growing speculation about a sale in recent years, with a Polish state-owned company among the interested parties. The news elicits a divided reaction in the press.
Rather Soros than the PiS
Onet.pl welcomes the takeover, but with certain reservations:
“It means that the newspaper will not become another government propaganda machine (for now). There is, however, a 'but' that commentators discussing the future of Rzeczpospolita overlook. George Soros no longer has control over his civil society projects. His son has take over the responsibility for those. And he doesn't seem all that interested in saving democracy in Europe. So far, nothing bad has happened in connection with the Open Society Foundations' initiatives. But the coming months could still ring bad news. Let's keep our fingers crossed that that doesn't happen.”
From bad to worse?
Neatkarīgā is concerned:
“The Polish media outlets that have passed into the hands of the Soros family will have to adhere to the ideology that Soros has cultivated, developed and spread for decades, either through money or other methods. ... Soros is among the most controversial figures of our times. On the one hand he is a prominent philanthropist who has financed countless educational, artistic and scientific projects and promoted democracy in countries transitioning from communist and dictatorial regimes. On the other, the political environment in every country where his money turns up is confronted with aggressive, intolerant activities on the part of Soros media and NGOs.”