ORLEN Lietuva and Lithuanian Railways have signed an agreement in Vilnius, ending years of disputes between the companies. The event was attended by the President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN Wojciech Jasiński, the Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis, and the Lithuanian Minister of Transport Rokas Masiulis.
The compromise reached provides for an equal division of mutual claims resulting from the dispute over the application of the infrastructure fee. An agreement was also reached regarding the level of tariffs and mutual obligations, which both parties considered competitive and commercially beneficial. The method of applying the infrastructure fee was also established.
– The decision to invest in Mažeikiai, which was patronized by President Lech Kaczyński, was an economic decision, but also a decision about long-term commitment to the stability of our entire region. That is why one of the priorities of the management board I lead was to open a new chapter in relations in this market, in particular between ORLEN Lietuva and Lithuanian Railways. We have behind us several months of difficult and tough negotiations, during which both sides defended their positions. Thanks to professionalism, commitment, and a willingness to seek solutions, we managed to work out an agreement that will ensure stability, development opportunities, and economic benefits for both parties – said Wojciech Jasiński, President of the Management Board of PKN ORLEN.
PKN ORLEN and Lithuanian Railways have committed both to ending legal disputes regarding matters that are part of the agreement and not to engage in proceedings in this regard in the future. The issue of rebuilding the section of tracks to Renge, dismantled in 2008, remains to be decided after the announcement of the European Commission’s decision. This issue was not the subject of negotiations due to the ongoing proceedings in Brussels.
The agreement was developed thanks to the efforts of the negotiation teams of ORLEN Lietuva and Lithuanian Railways and the direct involvement of the ownership supervision of both entities in the matter. Resolving the tense situation surrounding ORLEN’s Lithuanian investment has been one of the priorities of the PKN ORLEN management board over the last dozen or so months. On the other hand, both the new management of the Railways and Minister Masiulis, with the support of Prime Minister Skvernelis, showed determination to thoroughly review the topics that have been the subject of long-standing disagreements.
– This dispute was not beneficial for either Lithuania or Poland. It is a pity that it took so much time. Fortunately, we can finally set a good example in Polish-Lithuanian relations. Today’s agreement confirms that even the most difficult and heated issues in economic or political relations can be resolved. Everything depends solely on the good will of both parties – said the Prime Minister of Lithuania Saulius Skvernelis.
The dispute between ORLEN Lietuva and Lithuanian Railways had been growing since the dismantling in 2008 of the track section to Renge, the shortest connection leading from Mažeikiai to Latvia. In subsequent years, the subject of disagreements became issues of non-compliance with guarantees regarding the application of competitive transport tariffs for ORLEN Lietuva by the Railways. Subsequently, a so-called infrastructure fee was added to the already high rates for ORLEN Lietuva, which could amount to several to over a dozen million euros annually, depending on the volume of freight ordered.