Orlen

"In these respects, Jan Kulczyk stood out. He was perfectly suited for the final undoing of the arrangements created by SLD politicians. Even Kaczmarek’s revelations were not needed. His extensive influence within the ruling camp was commonly known. The press described how his inspiration supposedly led to subsequent dismissals of treasury ministers. Privatization decisions were allegedly carried out under his instruction. Phone calls between the prime minister and the billionaire were not uncommon. Quite the opposite, they were basically the rule. Leszek Miller had no reservations. Doctor Jan did not resist. After all, who would resist when the prime minister is on the other end of the line saying: “Hello, let’s meet up. I’d like to discuss something with you.” - Anyone would have become full of themselves. Kulczyk, too, was then floating a few centimeters above the ground. The inquiry commission concerning Orlen was a hard landing - says a person familiar with the behind-the-scenes of those years and the relations between Kulczyk, Miller, and Kwaśniewski."

"- I couldn’t offer the refinery to the Russians even if I wanted to. It’s nonsense. The tender was cancelled three days before the meeting with Alganov. Therefore, there was nothing to talk to Alganov about concerning this issue. Secondly, what interest would I have in this? I’m investing huge amounts of money in Orlen so I can create Russian competition for myself? I’m not an idiot; for Russian money, I’d ruin my career in one fell swoop? If I had allowed myself to be bought by the Russians, by Lukoil, I would have been finished forever, all over the world. I’d be permanently labeled: Kulczyk is a Russian agent. It would have been a closed case. I still wonder who was meddling with this, because it wasn’t happening without a reason, someone had an interest in it. All I know is that my meeting with Alganov was allegedly eavesdropped on by an agent. Kulczyk was convinced it was one of the Poles accompanying him at the table."