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Poland investigating if Orlen unit breached oil sanctions, report states

Polish special services are examining if Orlen Trading Switzerland, an unit of Polish refiner Orlen, breached sanctions on the import of oil from Russia or Iran, personal broadcaster Radio Zet reported on Thursday.

The investigation would be the most recent probe to target the state-controlled business, after prosecutors began taking a look at whether it artificially decreased costs ahead of a 2023 election, creating losses, and offered possessions at prices at listed below their fair value to get a smaller peer, Lotos.

Orlen did not breach any sanctions, the business said in an emailed action to ' questions on Thursday.

The existing government says the previous nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) administration had exerted political influence over state-controlled business.

Radio Zet's report followed Orlen said on Wednesday a 1.6 billion zloty ($ 403.82 million) write-down of the value of Orlen Trading Switzerland (OTS) would reduce the group's 2023 profit.

The trading unit has actually prepayed purchases of oil and refining items but did not get the items by the agreed due date. The reimbursement of the prepayments has actually been assessed by OTS as not likely, Orlen stated.

Contrary to requirements, the advance payments were paid without collateral to entities with which Orlen had never cooperated before, the business stated on Thursday.

Orlen Trading Switzerland was established in Zug in 2022 ahead of the European Union restriction on imports on Russian oil products that entered into force in early 2023.

A spokesman for the planner of special services did not instantly reply to email and phone demands looking for comment.

Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment.

I did not have any info about this case throughout my term of office. The secret services also never notified me of any irregularities or issues in this regard, Jacek Sasin, a. previous PiS minister in charge of state assets stated in an. e-mailed declaration.