Lotos' situation looks grim after Orlen's Mazeikiu buy

 "Executing this transaction is negative information for Lotos, but its situation would be even worse if Mazeikiu had been taken over by another investor, in particular a Russian one," said Andrzej Paslawski, a specialist from BDM PKO BP. Other analysts believe that this transaction will have an influence on Lotos in three to four years, after Orlen fully consolidates Mazeikiu into its group. Now, "only an increased interest in extracting oil would improve the situation [for Lotos]," said a Parkiet source. Lotos' situation does not look very optimistic, which might be confirmed by the fact that its representatives were unwilling to comment on the situation. (Parkiet, pp. 1,5) M.M.