Leak said to show MOL chief’s INA legal strategy

Issues

A leaked recording of a conversion between a Polish official and a Polish CEO indicates that MOL CEO Zsolt Hernádi has plans to clear himself in Hungary on the controversial case with INA, thereby gaining immunity in his Croatian case.

MOL, Hungary’s oil and gas giant, declined to comment on the issue today.

The recording allegedly contains a converstion in which PKN Orlen CEO Jacek Krawiec and Polish Treasury Minister Wlodzimierz Karpinski are discussing doing business with Hernádi. In that conversation, Krawiec claims that a case was being brought against Hernádi in Hungary, but the complainant is the wife of Hernádi’s lawyer, who would probably not mind losing her case.

If Hernádi triumphs in court against his “accuser” in Hungary, it could legally mean that he is immune from prosecution in EU and candidate countires, so that Croatia could not press charges against Hernádi.

In April 2009, Croatian officials indicted Hernádi on charges that he bribed that county’s former prime minister Ivo Sanader to give MOL management rights in INA, an energy firm and MOL’s Croatian counterpart.

MOL has repeatedly denied wrongdoing by its company or its CEO.

Hungary Account Deficit at EUR 561 mln in Q4 Debt

Hungary Account Deficit at EUR 561 mln in Q4

Moldovan Pensions to be Increased as of April 1 World

Moldovan Pensions to be Increased as of April 1

Schoenherr Names Miklós Klenanc as Head of Local M&A Practic... Appointments

Schoenherr Names Miklós Klenanc as Head of Local M&A Practic...

Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency to Host Summit Drinks

Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency to Host Summit

SUPPORT THE BUDAPEST BUSINESS JOURNAL

Producing journalism that is worthy of the name is a costly business. For 27 years, the publishers, editors and reporters of the Budapest Business Journal have striven to bring you business news that works, information that you can trust, that is factual, accurate and presented without fear or favor.
Newspaper organizations across the globe have struggled to find a business model that allows them to continue to excel, without compromising their ability to perform. Most recently, some have experimented with the idea of involving their most important stakeholders, their readers.
We would like to offer that same opportunity to our readers. We would like to invite you to help us deliver the quality business journalism you require. Hit our Support the BBJ button and you can choose the how much and how often you send us your contributions.