The Polish press took a critical view of the choice of "LNM" as the investor for "Huta Czestochowa". Poland's most influential daily newspaper, "Gazeta Wyborcza", called what was happening around the privatization of "Huta Stali Czestochova" an "adventure."

In an article dated February 24 titled "Trial over the Huta," the authoritative publication says that the uncertainty surrounding the Polish government's decision is only growing. At the same time, it hints at a three-page letter from "LNM" head Lakshmi Mittal to Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jerzy Hausner, which appeared after the submission of bids by "LNM" and "ISD."

"The letter proposed new financial terms to the Polish government regarding the purchase of the Huta's share package," reports "Gazeta Wyborcza."

The country's second leading newspaper, "Rzeczpospolita," in an article titled "A Matter of Politics, Not Business," quotes the representative of the "ISD" company in Poland, Kostiantyn Lytvynov:

"We consider the State Treasury Ministry's decision discriminatory toward Ukraine. In our view, 'ISD' won the tender. We submitted the better offer. We will fight so that, in the end, justice prevails. If necessary, we will go to court. However, we still hope that this will not be needed, since the privatization decision will be changed... There is no logical explanation for the decision to recognize 'LNM' as the winner."

Lytvynov added that "political factors, over which 'ISD' has no influence, intervened in the game."

The business weekly "Puls Biznesu," in its article devoted to the tender for the sale of "Huta Stali Czestochowa," draws readers' attention to the fact that "LNM" bypassed the tender conditions and submitted a second offer to Deputy Prime Minister Hausner, already knowing the terms of the Ukrainian concern.

According to "LNM," "their offer may have been unclear to the government, so they want to propose financial terms equal to the competitor's offer."

According to the newspaper, the Ukrainian embassy intends to send a note of protest to the Polish Foreign Ministry requesting an explanation of the government's decision to recognize "LNM" as the winner in the privatization tender.

The financial newspaper "Parkiet" also warns of the threat of freezing Ukrainian investments in the Polish economy amounting to 300 million dollars, quoting the "ISD" representative: "if political factors led to a review of the government's position on privatization, this de facto means that the door for Polish-Ukrainian cooperation is closed."

The newspaper "Zycie" draws attention to the words of Deputy State Treasury Minister Andrzej Szarawarski, who cited as an argument for selling the Czestochowa metallurgical plant to the Dutch concern "LNM" the fact that otherwise (in the case of selling the plant to "ISD") competition would arise between the two enterprises "Polskie Huty Stali" ("PHS") and "Huta Stali Czestochowa."

"Above all, it is hard to understand why Deputy Minister Szarawarski is preventing the emergence of competition, which is an instrument of the free market? The more competition, the better for the consumer," the publication notes.

The newspaper presented its own version of what is happening: "LNM" bought the plant in Czestochowa because it, unlike "PHS," does not fall under production restrictions that will take effect after Poland's accession to the European Union in May of this year.

"Owning the plant in Czestochowa, 'LNM' will negotiate with the European Commission on increasing the quota for 'PHS,' which automatically means reducing capacity for the disputed plant, since steel production quotas apply to Poland as a whole... Thus, the British-Dutch concern bought a potential competitor in order to subsequently drive it out of the market," believes "Zycie."

The newspaper "Trybuna" quotes a representative of the industrial policy department of the Ministry of Economy. In response to the State Treasury Ministry's arguments that if the plant were bought by the Ukrainian investor, other steel plants would have to reduce production volumes, he stated the following:

"Huta Czestochowa" has nothing to do with agreements on restricting steel production and EU subsidies. Therefore, a private investor, having acquired the plant, can do with it whatever it wishes within the framework of the law, including increasing production."