Polish watchdog says eyeing legal steps over PKN Orlen newspaper deal

WARSAW (Reuters) – Polish antitrust regulator UOKiK said on Tuesday it was examining further legal steps after a court suspended its approval of state-owned refiner PKN Orlen’s takeover of newspaper publisher Polska Press.

The planned takeover has been criticised by opposition political parties, which say it is part of a wider effort by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party to take more control of the media. PKN Orlen has said the deal is purely a business transaction.

“We are currently analysing further legal steps, including the possibility of revoking the court’s decision,” UOKiK said in a statement.

The office of Human Rights Ombudsman Adam Bodnar, a vocal government critic, announced on Monday it had been informed by the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection that the approval had been suspended.

On Tuesday, PKN Orlen Chief Executive Daniel Obajtek said on Twitter the company had still not received the text of the court’s decision, but said there were “no legal grounds” for stopping the transaction.

Polska Press and a PiS spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“As long as there is no actual court ruling, there is nothing to comment on,” said PiS lawmaker Joanna Lichocka.

Reporting by Alan Charlish and Joanna Plucinska; editing by Jason Neely and Bernadette Baum

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-polskapress-m-a-pkn-orlen/polish-watchdog-says-eyeing-legal-steps-over-pkn-orlen-newspaper-deal-idUSKBN2C01DL