Lithuanian Govt To Prefer Polish Buyer

Poland?s PKN Orlen holding said it is interested in buying a stake in Mazeikiu Nafta oil refinery, the Lithuanian asset of Yukos company.

Yukos has already tried to buy out the additional issue of the refinery?s shares this spring, but due to the enormous back tax debts it was unable to finance a deal.

Then government of Lithuania announced that it will buy the package of newly-issued shares. If it buys Mazeikiu shares, it will own more than 50 percent of shares and negotiate with all companies interested in the refinery, instead of Yukos.

Analysts suppose that out of political motives the government of Lithuania will prefer to sell the stake to a Polish company, rather than to Russian oil firms.