Author sues Polish broadcaster TVP for 3 million zloty over alleged plagiarism

A lawsuit alleging copyright infringement has been filed against Poland's public broadcaster, TVP, by the author of a spy novel. The author claims the recently aired TVP series "Wojna zastępcza" (Proxy War) plagiarizes his novel "Operacja Bosfor."

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The description of the plot of the spy novel "Operacja Bosfor," which is posted on bookseller portals, indicates that it describes "the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the birth of a new world order."

The lawsuit, seeking 3 million zloty (approximately $750,000), accuses TVP and the series' producer, Z and T, of copyright violations. The novel's plot, set during the Soviet Union's collapse, involves two secret SS-20 nuclear warheads left behind by withdrawing Soviet troops in Poland. The story centers on a Polish intelligence officer trying to manage the crisis as the weapons are put up for sale on the black market.

Descriptions of the novel's plot on bookseller websites closely match the TVP series' storyline. The controversy intensified when a former intelligence officer, Marcin Faliński, described the series as "anti-Polish propaganda" and "disinformation" that aligns with Russian narratives. He has called for the series to be removed from the air and for an investigation by the Internal Security Agency (ABW), citing potential harm to state security.

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When Soviet troops withdrawing from Poland leave behind two secret SS-20 nuclear warheads, the situation immediately gets out of control. Their fate falls into the hands of General Dubynin, who, in the face of chaos and the fall of the empire, decides on a desperate step – selling weapons of mass destruction on the black market. Andrzej – a former dissident, now an officer of Polish intelligence – finds himself at the center of this dangerous game.

Faliński stated he has notified the ABW, the Central Anticorruption Bureau, the minister-coordinator of special services, and the prime minister's chief of political cabinet about the production's controversial content. He claims the series uses subliminal messages that undermine Polish services and contribute to cognitive warfare. Representatives from the ruling coalition in TVP's Program Council reportedly attempted to refute his arguments during a council meeting.

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It is an anti-Polish series, consistent with Russian propaganda.

Barbara Bilińska, chairwoman of the TVP Program Council, announced that the council will request an audit of the series from TVP's management. She noted that no TVP representatives attended the council's meeting to discuss the serial. The council also sought an assessment from writer and screenwriter Ilona Łepkowska, known for her work on popular Polish TV dramas.

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I have notified the Internal Security Agency, the Central Anticorruption Bureau, the minister-coordinator of special services Tomasz Siemoniak, and the head of the prime minister's political cabinet about the controversies surrounding the production.