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Friday, 26.04.2024, 18:03
Polish PM promises Orlen's expansion in Lithuania
After inspecting the Orlen-owned Orlen Lietuva oil refiner
in Mazeikiai, the Polish prime minister, however, refrained from providing
details on the plans yet but assured that the plans are expansion-oriented,
including further investment into the Lithuanian refiner.
"Our plans are quite expansionary, they are aimed at
building new capacity for the refinery as well," the Polish prime minister
told LETA/BNS Lithuania.
"As far as specific investment is concerned, I can not
complement this information with some more specifics, but I am absolutely
certain that there are plans for further investments in Mazeikiai," he
added.
In March, 2018, the Lithuanian government and Orlen signed a
declaration on the Polish company's investment into the modernization and
infrastructure of the Lithuanian refiner.
Orlen Lietuva also operates the Butinge terminal, Birzai oil
pipeline and a network of service stations. Morawiecki said that disputes,
resolved in recent years, regarding Orlen Lietuva's rail freight transportation
and the Renge railway section have improved Lithuanian-Polish relations.
Lithuania's state-run railway company Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai
(Lithuanian Railways) and Orlen signed a contract on rail freight tariffs last
summer. Lithuania has also committed to rebuilding the Renge railway from
Mazeikiai to the Latvian border, removed a decade ago, by the end of this year.
Orlen Lietuva used the 19-km Renge railway to transport its
products to Latvia and has been forced to take other longer routes after it was
dismantled.
"I am very pleased to have this whole dispute closed by
now, which is an indication of improving relationship between Poland and
Lithuania as well," the Polish prime minister said. "I would like to
emphasize that Polish-Lithuanian relations are top-notch, are very good."