More than 5 billion zlotys owed to the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PAŻP) have been frozen by Eurocontrol due to a legal dispute between Pfizer and Poland. The Belgian court’s non-final ruling ordered Poland to pay €1.3 billion for COVID-19 vaccine doses. In theory, LOT Polish Airlines’ aircraft could become the next easy target for asset seizure.
Eurocontrol, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, blocked the funds at the beginning of July. The decision stems from an April ruling by a Belgian court, which found that Poland should have accepted 64 million vaccine doses and pay around €1.3 billion. Poland asked for a stay of execution pending appeal, but the court rejected the motion.
As a result, the money normally transferred to PAŻP from en-route air navigation charges was intercepted. The blocked amount is estimated at over 5 billion zlotys, a sum that cripples the agency’s cash flow.
LOT aircraft as collateral
According to Rzeczpospolita, the same legal mechanism that allowed the seizure of PAŻP funds could be applied to physical assets of LOT Polish Airlines. Airplanes are valuable, movable property that can be attached in cross-border disputes. The newspaper quoted an unnamed source: – Theoretically, LOT’s planes could be just as easy a target for asset freezing in the Pfizer dispute with the Polish government – said the source.
The non-final ruling in Belgium is enforceable despite the appeal. Poland’s legal team is preparing arguments to challenge the decision in higher courts, but the process may take months or years.
Broader implications for Polish aviation
The conflict highlights how international arbitration and court rulings can directly affect national infrastructure and state-owned enterprises. PAŻP is critical for air traffic safety and management, while LOT is Poland’s flagship carrier. Any prolonged freeze on funds or assets could disrupt operations and international confidence in Polish aviation.
Pfizer has not commented publicly on the latest developments. The Polish government insists it will defend its interests and that the agency’s financing is secured, but the blocked funds remain inaccessible.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. MS_Digital / Shutterstock
