Polish government says there is no uncontrolled sale of Saudi Arabian stake

A spokesman for the Polish government said there was no risk of an uncontrolled sale of a stake in Rafineria Gdanska by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company Saudi Aramco as the deal is secured by general and contract law.

Poland's biggest fuel firm, PKN Orlen, took over its smaller rival Lotos earlier this year, but was required by the European Commission to divest parts of the newly acquired company. Orlen decided to sell a 30 percent stake in Lotos' Rafineria Gdanska to the Saudi Arabian company.

Poland's daily Gazeta Wyborcza claimed that the sale of the Polish refinery to Saudi Aramco violated Poland's law on control of certain investments and that the deal was not consulted in terms of Poland's energy security.

On Thursday, Rafineria Gdanska was added to the list of entities subject to special protection by the state after concerns were raised that the Saudi share could pose a security threat to Polish fuel supplies.

The move was intended to prevent an uncontrolled sale of the stake in the refinery, according to the government.