The government bungles its chance to tap into oil and gas profits

Currently no representatives from the Finance Ministry, Economy Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry nor State Treasury, which were supposed to cooperate on this project, were able to state in which stage the project is currently. Total liabilities of African and Asian countries that own oil fields exceeds $1.25 billion, out of which $795 million is owed by Iraq. The figure is constantly dropping due to restructuring of the debts. They are however important in tenders for oil fields, as "They constitute an additional advantage, thanks to which one can negotiate a discount in taxation of an oil field. The problem is that we are not authorized to use it in negotiations. In this case time is against us," claims Adam Sęk, president of Nafta Polska. (Parkiet, p. 1) M.M.