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Poland Examines Media Bribe Allegation Back
Prosecutors questioned a newspaper editor Monday about published allegations that a leading film producer sought a $17.5 million bribe to lobby the government for more media-friendly laws.
The allegations against Lew Rywin were carried last month by the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. It reported he approached its chief editor with the offer last July, claiming he represented Prime Minister Leszek Miller.
Rywin, 57, is one of Poland's most prominent media entrepreneurs. His company, Heritage Films, co-produced Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," which won a 1993 Academy Award for best film. "The Pianist," which featured Rywin as an actor, won the Palme d'Or top prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival.
Rywin has refused to comment on the bribery allegation. But Miller, speaking on Polish state radio Monday, called it "grotesque" and false.
Warsaw prosecutors began their investigation Monday by questioning Gazeta chief editor Adam Michnik, a communist-era dissident and leading critic of a proposed measure to change to media laws.
Private media have protested the bill, saying it would strengthen the monopoly of state television with restrictions on private ownership of television and radio stations.
Critics include the company that owns Gazeta Wyborcza, Agora SA, which also owns several local radio stations and has said it wants to buy the nationwide private television channel Polsat. The government wants to keep publishers of national newspapers or magazines from taking over nationwide broadcasters.
Gazeta's article alleged that Rywin offered to influence the legislation to allow Agora to buy Polsat. The newspaper says Michnik taped the conversation.
It was not clear why the newspaper waited to publish the allegations, several months after Rywin allegedly approached it with the offer. Some opposition politicians accuse the government of moving slowly to investigate the allegations.
Under Polish law, bribery carries a prison term of up to three years.
In the radio interview, Miller said he informed Poland's prosecutor-general last fall and discussed the case with President Aleksander Kwasniewski, who agreed that the allegations were false.
