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There is no freedom of speech without the freedom of media. In Polish law system the freedom of speech was first guaranteed in the Little Constitution in 1992, and later in The Constitution in 1997, according to which everybody has freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas. The censorship was abolished by Polish Parliament in 1990.
In 1993 Poland signed the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The 10th Article of the Convention states that everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right includes freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.
Polish law states that the freedom of speech means the freedom of press. To protect these freedoms and according to the mentioned European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, in 1996 there was established the Press Freedom Monitoring Center as an independent non-government and non-profit organisation. It acts by the Polish Journalists Association, and its main aim is to protect the journalists’ freedom to find the sources of information, to strengthen the system of free press and electronic media and to guarantee a proper using the rule of freedom of speech. These aims the Center implements by:
• providing the journalists with the free consultation and legal help in conflict situations
• presenting the postulates for legislative authorities in the area of legal changes influencing the press
• documenting the conflicts in which participate the journalists
• influencing on public administration dealing with the press, especially in the area of reacting on the express criticism
• informing the public opinion on the implementing the idea of free press
• preparing the projects of legal acts
• creating the net of centres protecting the free press in the countries of East-Central Europe.
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