We continue to fundamentally disagree with the proposal for a special tax in its current form. We regard the proposed form of the special tax as a measure with short-term financial benefits, the long-term consequences of which could be significantly negative both for our company and for the Czech Republic, as it will undermine the country’s energy and security stability. The Czech state now wishes to channel funds – which should be invested precisely in strengthening energy and security stability – into consumption.

If the tax is implemented in its proposed form, it will significantly jeopardise our investments in the modernisation and safety of refineries, particularly at a time of costly transformation towards a low-emission future. We must maintain a high pace of investment running into the billions, despite the exceptionally adverse economic situation of the last two years. In 2024 and 2025, we reported a net loss of 14.9 billion crowns and an accounting loss of as much as 63 billion crowns. A further tax burden would significantly limit our ability to produce competitive products, improve operational safety and ensure the supply of fuel in the volumes required by the Czech market.

Since 2018, when the ORLEN Group acquired a 100 per cent stake in ORLEN Unipetrol, we have not paid out a single koruna in dividends. We have reinvested the funds generated into the development, modernisation and transformation of our production plants. On a long-term average, this amounts to approximately ten billion korunas a year. These funds flow into the Czech economy and are of crucial importance, particularly for the Ústí nad Labem Region, where our main production plant is based – the largest chemical complex in the Czech Republic. Yet the Ústí nad Labem Region has long been one of the regions with the highest unemployment rates. In September 2026, the unemployment rate there reached 7.29 per cent, the highest of any region in the Czech Republic.

ORLEN Unipetrol is a responsible and long-standing pillar of the Czech economy. We are a major investor and employer, and also form part of the country’s critical infrastructure. Even in years of financial loss, we do not ask the state for financial assistance. On the contrary, we continue to invest our own funds in maintaining and developing the Czech Republic’s strategic industrial infrastructure.

We understand the government’s efforts to reduce the budget deficit. However, we regard the proposed form of the special tax as a measure with a short-term financial effect, the long-term consequences of which could be significantly negative. It will not only jeopardise the further development of our society, but also the competitiveness of Czech industry, jobs in the regions, and the energy and security stability of the Czech Republic.

We therefore call on the Government of the Czech Republic to reconsider the proposed form of the special tax. We have repeatedly submitted our comments and specific proposals, and we remain ready for open and constructive dialogue.

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