Daniel Obajtek has plots of land in the place where the nuclear power plant will be built. Head of KOWR: There was a right of pre-emption

In the case of plots purchased in Pomerania by the former president of Orlen, Daniel Obajtek, and then transferred to a family foundation, the National Center for Agricultural Support had the right of pre-emption, but KOWR did not use it – the current director of the center, Henryk Smolarz, said on Wednesday.

This is a case that was recalled by Radio Zet on Wednesday. According to his findings, the former president of Orlen and current MEP from Law and Justice, Daniel Obajtek, is the owner of many properties with a total value of several dozen million zlotys. As reported, in November 2023, i.e. after the parliamentary elections, as a result of which PiS lost power, annotations regarding the change of owner appeared in the land and mortgage register.

According to reports recalled by Radio Zet on Wednesday, which were published for the first time in November 2023, Daniel Obajtek gave his son eight plots of land with an area of ​​36 hectares. As Radio Zet pointed out, four of them are located in the Choczewo commune, where the country's first nuclear power plant is to be built. The next four are located in the Giżycko commune in Masuria.

The radio also reported that Obajtek's son on December 7, 2023, i.e. less than a week before the formation of Donald Tusk's government, applied to the National Center for Agricultural Support for permission to transfer plots to the Family Foundation. Since the transaction was to take place within five years of their purchase, According to the regulations, KOWR had the right of first refusal to buy these plots. He didn't take advantage of it.

Daniel Obajtek commented on the reports on Wednesday. He emphasized that the plots were purchased not from KOWR, but from a private person, at a market price and in accordance with the law.

“The plots are located a few kilometers from the planned investment and are in no way related to the construction of a nuclear power plant,” Obajtek emphasized on the X platform.

He also added that he expected the reports to be corrected and threatened to “take the case to court.”

The matter was commented on by the director general of KOWR, Henryk Smolarz, during Wednesday's conference at the Ministry of Agriculture. He informed that the situation was described in a document based on an audit at KOWR.

– We are dealing with a situation in which KOWR had the right to exercise pre-emption in a situation where the buyer was not a farmer. According to the act, to be a farmer it is not enough to have hectares, because if, for example, you live in Pcim and buy somewhere in Pomerania, then you are not a farmer. Therefore, in such a situation, KOWR could exercise the right of pre-emption. This right was not exercised in 2020, he said.

As he noted, in mid-2023 the situation changed due to the entry into force of the Family Foundation Act.

– What was the purpose of this family foundation, I – not as the director of KOWR, but as a politician – should have a serious reflection. A situation arises when a father transfers real estate to his son, and after two weeks the son brings it to the family foundation. For example, the KOWR in Pruszcz Gdański recommended not to consent to such action. This information came to the headquarters along with the appeal of the interested party. And immediately there was a letter to the branch in Pruszcz Gdański instructing them to change the decision, Smolarz noted.

The head of KOWR did not clearly answer whether we were talking about plots located in the area where the planned nuclear power plant is to be built.

– We have received such information, but we have no knowledge of the location plans for various investments. There were assumptions that energy investments, including container nuclear power plants, could be implemented on these plots or on plots nearby, said the head of KOWR.

He also pointed out that any possible recovery of these plots by KOWR would be difficult.

– Unless the relevant authorities take action and determine that it was intended to enrich oneself thanks to knowledge about the planned investments. If this is proven, the decisions can be annulled, he said. (PAP)

gkc/ mick/ mhr/