Poland adds i.a. Cyfrowy Polsat TMT and TVN to strategic companies list, says PM

"We have also adopted a regulation, which I mentioned earlier, by virtue of which we have added companies such as Cyfrowy Polsat, P4 - the company which is the operator of Play, TVN, Polsat TV, T-Mobile and WB Electronics to the list of entities subject to protection - we are talking about protection when someone would like to buy these companies," Tusk announced.

"I want to stress again that we will certainly not make any possible transactions difficult for anyone in this way - it will require the consent of the Polish government," the Prime Minister added.

As Tusk pointed out, he is aware that this is not to everyone's liking, but no one would like to see media, telecom operators or private companies crucial to energy or defence find themselves one day in the hands of enemies of the Polish state.

A week ago, on December 11, Poland's Prime Minister had already announced the inclusion of TVN and Polsat TV on this list.

The 2015 act requires prior notification to the head of Poland's antitrust and consumer protection regulator of an intention by a non-EEA and OECD entity to make an investment resulting in, among other things, the acquisition or gaining a significant participation (20 or 40 percent of the voting rights, capital or profits) in a protected company.

The current regulation with a list of such companies expires at the end of this year, hence the need for the Council of Ministers to adopt a new regulation.

The previous list, in the regulation of December 29, 2023, included 17 companies, including KGHM, Orlen, Tauron, Orange, Polkomtel, Unimot and Grupa Azoty. Most of them were under the supervision of the minister responsible for state assets.

jz/ tus/ mcb/ ao/