OGAE Poland Triumphs Over TVP in Court: Full Disclosure of Eurovision 2023 Preselection Results Mandated
In a landmark ruling, the Polish Eurovision Fan Club, OGAE Poland, secured a significant legal victory against the national broadcaster TVP. The Warsaw Regional Administrative Court has ordered TVP to disclose the detailed results of the 2023 Eurovision preselection process, following a lawsuit filed by OGAE Poland.
Background of the Controversy
The preselection process for Eurovision 2023 in Poland was marred by controversy, with significant public backlash against TVP’s handling of the voting system and allegations of lack of transparency. Initially, TVP had refused to release the detailed voting results, citing corporate confidentiality, which prompted OGAE Poland to take legal action.
Court Ruling
On 6 June, the Warsaw Regional Administrative Court sided with OGAE Poland, identifying administrative errors by TVP and deeming the preselection results as public information. TVP is now required to publish the individual rankings of the five jury members and the public vote results from the show, «The Heart of Europe Beats Here – We Choose a Hit for Eurovision 2023.»
Konrad Szczęsny, President of OGAE Poland, welcomed the ruling, emphasizing its importance for future transparency in the selection process:
«Today’s court ruling is crucial for the transparency of the selection process in the future and for the broadcaster to publish the detailed results of public selections. It is also an important day for all of us as a united and strong Eurovision community. On behalf of the OGAE Poland board, I would like to express special thanks to Vice-President Maciej Kurowski, who prepared our complaint in a remarkably substantive way. Without him, this success would not have been possible.»
Scandal and Allegations
The controversy began with the 2023 preselection, which saw Blanka winning with her song «Solo» despite fan favourite Jann and his song «Gladiator» receiving significantly more public votes. Fans were outraged when last-minute changes to the voting system seemingly diminished the influence of the public vote. Unofficial reports suggested that Jann had received three times as many votes from viewers as Blanka, yet he only secured seven points from the jury, placing fourth overall.
Questions were also raised about potential conflicts of interest within the jury, and the integrity of the voting process was further called into question when it was revealed that the jury chairperson, Edyta Górniak, received the final scores through an earpiece from the production team. TVP claimed that the votes were independently verified by a notary, but did not disclose the individual jury rankings.
Immediate and Future Implications
While the court ruling is a major victory for transparency, the exact date for the publication of the results remains uncertain. The verdict is not final, and TVP has 30 days to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court. If they choose not to appeal, they must release the results to the public, complying with the court’s decision.
This ruling sets a precedent for greater transparency in the Polish Eurovision selection process, addressing long-standing concerns among fans about the fairness and openness of the national preselection.
Poland’s Recent Eurovision Journey
The ruling comes at a time when Poland is still dealing with the fallout from Eurovision 2023, where Blanka finished 19th in Liverpool. The 2024 internal selection saw Luna representing Poland with «The Tower,» although she failed to qualify for the final in Malmö. Despite these setbacks, the push for transparency and accountability in the selection process is a positive step forward for Poland’s future Eurovision endeavours.
Source: Eurowizija
