Kaczyński: state may repurchase Żabka store chain. Owner: we have no grounds to comment

At a meeting with voters in Puławy on Wednesday (October 12), the chairman of the ruling PiS party Jarosław Kaczyński was asked if the recently established state-owned food company (Polska Grupa Spożywcza - edit.) would be allowed to buy back food businesses once purchased by foreign capital from Polish owners.

"If this group works out and have funds, well, I'm sorry to say, but now is the right time to do it," Kaczyński replied.

"I'm afraid that Polska Grupa (Spożywcza - edit.) doesn't have any bigger funds. I hope this situation end quickly. Generally speaking, it's not to beneficial for Poland," he added.

"I can't tell you everything in one speech, but among the plans we've declared was this one: retaking the most strategic parts of our economy from the hands of foreign capital. And we've largely succeeded in doing so," Kaczyński said.

"And it's still moving forward, even as we speak I think a decision has been made that the railway electric network, that large company with huge electric energy capacity, will be bougth back very soon. And exactly from one of the American funds. The very one which owns Żabka. You all know what Żabka is. These stores could be bought back too," PiS chairman said. "We're going in that direction," he added.

We asked both CVC and Żabka to comment on PiS chairman's words.

"The reported statement does not refer to any specific process with our participation, so we have no grounds to comment on it," Żabka press office said.

Żabka is Poland's largest convenience store chain, currently running more than 8,000 shops across the country. In 2017, Żabka was bought by CVC Capital Partners from the previous owner - Mid Europa Partners.

Since 2015, CVC Capital Partners also owns PKP Energetyka, which provides electricity to the Polish railway network.