Hortex is not amused by NIK's revelation of its secrets

Polish juice and frozen food producer Hortex has accused the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK) of revealing its commercial secrets. Hortex says NIK has abused its position and broken the law by revealing confidential information in its report on the company. NIK's report showed Hortex owes the Treasury zl. 66 million as its value was lowered when it was to be privatized. Hortex has filed a lawsuit against NIK and may also demand reimbursement from the Treasury. Chairman of Hortex Wojciech Madalski has personally asked NIK's chief inspector of data protection to look into the matter. Hortex's legal counsel Lech Falandysz said,"The highest state authorities abuse their power because they know it will be difficult to expose them. NIK should be more concerned with the public sector than the private one." NIK says every company using public funds has to take such public accountability into account. " We have not revealed any personal data or wages and if we had not reported everything Hortex did not want us to, then we would not have had a report at all," says a NIK controller. (Puls Biznesu, page 5) J.K.