Media, Holocaust bills test Poland’s ties with US, Israel

By VANESSA GERA
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland is facing a more difficult relationship with two of its key allies after lawmakers passed two bills which the government had been warned to drop. One deals with foreign ownership of Polish media companies and would force the U.S. owner of Poland’s largest private TV to sell its stake. The other bill affects the property rights of the families of Holocaust survivors, drawing an angry response from Israel. Both bills passed in Poland’s lower house of parliament on Wednesday and still must go to the Senate. They threaten to further isolate Poland. The European Union member’s relationship with the United States in particular is considered a key guarantee of the nation’s future security.