Poland's president signed a new law giving the government control of state radio and television, despite concerns from the European Union, an official said Thursday.

Andrzej Duda signed the legislation because he wants state media to be "impartial, objective and reliable," his aide Malgorzata Sadurska said. She added that the president doesn't believe the broadcasters guarantee objective information in their current form.

The new legislation allows for the immediate ending of the terms of the heads of state radio and television, and gives the treasury minister the authority to appoint successors. It also limits the number of members sitting on the state broadcasters' supervisory and management boards.

Sadurska said the president shares concerns for the quality of Poland's media voiced by some EU leaders, and believes the new law will help that goal.

But some EU leaders have expressed alarm, saying that Poland's media freedom is being threatened. On Tuesday, EU human rights commissioner Nils Muiznieks appealed to Duda not to sign the law.

The European Commission will debate Poland's rule of law on Jan. 13, a step that could eventually result in Poland losing its EU voting rights on matters that concern the entire 28-nation bloc.