Polish prosecutors are currently investigating the Swiss unit of PKN Orlen, a state-controlled refiner, for alleged connections with Hezbollah, the Iran-backed organization in Lebanon.
The investigation comes after reports emerged linking the former head of Orlen Trading Switzerland (OTS), Samer A., to Hezbollah, although he denies any involvement.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for a meeting between prosecutors and special services to address these allegations and uncover the truth.
Prosecutors revealed that Orlen had transferred over 1.5 billion zloty to its Swiss subsidiary without proper oversight during Samer A.’s tenure at OTS. This fund was used for purchasing Venezuelan oil that was never delivered, as per an Orlen report.
Samer A. was appointed as the president of OTS in 2022 despite objections from security services, allegedly at the request of former Orlen president Daniel Obajtek. The previous government has been accused of using Orlen to finance its political initiatives.
In addition to the Hezbollah probe, prosecutors are also investigating Orlen’s merger with Grupa Lotos and the subsequent sale of assets to Saudi Aramco, which led to significant losses for the company. Orlen’s dealings with MOL, a Hungarian company possibly linked to the Russian regime, are also under scrutiny.
Another investigation is centered around suspicions of petrol underselling by Orlen, believed to have influenced the general elections and cost the company approximately one billion zloty in losses.