Daniel Obajtek, former CEO of Orlen, got into a physical altercation with Wojciech Kotlarek, CEO of IKS Solino, on July 9, 2026. Obajtek tried to enter the Solino plant to support striking miners. In response, Orlen, which owns Solino, issued a statement blaming Obajtek for the company’s current difficulties.
The incident took place at the Inowrocław Salt Mines Solino, where miners have been staging a rotating hunger strike for over 100 days. The protesters demand that Orlen take over part of Qemetica (formerly Ciech), specifically the soda, salt, and crude oil storage operations. Qemetica, controlled by Sebastian Kulczyk, decided to sell its salt business to the German company K+S.
Orlen reacted swiftly, publishing a statement on social media. The company accused Obajtek of negligence during his tenure as CEO in 2022. According to Orlen, Obajtek signed an unfavorable agreement with Qemetica that broke a long-standing practice of aligning contracts for brine supply and salt offtake over uniform periods. The statement claims that under the deal, Solino must supply brine at a fixed price for over a decade, while Qemetica could stop delivering salt after a few years and demand a price increase of several dozen percent.
Orlen’s accusations and the contract details
Orlen’s statement explicitly says: „It is a pity that Daniel Obajtek did not take care of Solino in 2022. Under his presidency, an unfavorable contract with Qemetica was signed.” The company argues that as a result of these mistakes, Solino had to source supplies from other directions and take most of its salt volume from Anwil, another Orlen Group company.
The company also emphasized that the situation at the Janikowo plant does not threaten the storage of crude oil or fuels. Orlen accused Obajtek and the protesters of trying to create a media and political scandal aimed at increasing Qemetica’s valuation. – Qemetica is owned by a private investor, and you gentlemen are trying to stir up a media and political affair to boost its price – the statement read.
The protest and its background
The hunger strike at Solino has been ongoing for over three months. Workers fear job losses and the dismantling of the salt production chain after Qemetica’s deal with K+S. The protesters want Orlen to step in and secure the future of the Solino plant and its employees. Obajtek’s visit was intended to show solidarity with the workers, but it escalated into a physical confrontation with the current management.
Orlen’s response shifts the blame entirely onto Obajtek’s past decisions. The company claims that the current management is dealing with the consequences of a poorly negotiated contract. The situation remains tense, with no immediate resolution in sight.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PAP/Agnieszka Bielecka
