Rotch Energy on verge of suing Nafta Polska

In the fall of 2001 Rotch was granted exclusive rights to negotiate the acquisition of the refinery, but it failed to seal the deal. At the end of 2001, NP suggested that Rotch should find a strategic partner from the oil sector, but neither of the two partners it successively created consortia with - Russia's Lukoil and Poland's PKN Orlen - met with NP's approval. Finally, the Treasury Minister decided that rather than selling the refinery to a single entity, it should be merged with the three smaller refineries in Southern Poland, as well as exploration company Petrobaltic and then floated on the stock exchange. (Rzeczpospolita, May 8-9, p. B1) T.J.