PKN Orlen's next acquisition may be in Latvia

"It is too early for details. It is worth examining interesting transactions since there are few of them left,"stated Orlen's president Igor Chalupec. According to unofficial information Orlen is interested in the purchase of petrol station networks. Analysts believe that Orlen may invest in the Czech Republic in order to strengthen the Benzina network owned by Unipetrol which Orlen took over last year and in Lithuania where it wants to develop Mozejki's sales network. Orlen plans investment in foreign oil refineries. It is analyzing the possibility of investing in the Latvian oil company Ventspils Nafta. "We are watching this company. I think we will make a decision soon," declared Chalupec. He also admitted that Orlen is analyzing the Serbian oil company NIS. In July Orlen also opened its representative office in Kazakhstan. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1,4-5) E.B.