PKP Cargo Pursues Legal Action Against Former Management and Ex-PM Morawiecki

PKP Cargo, Poland’s state rail freight operator, has initiated legal proceedings against its former management and former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, citing actions that have led to the company's precarious financial condition.

On June 20, PKP Cargo filed a complaint with Warsaw’s prosecutor’s office, alleging that the previous board committed crimes by failing to protect the company's interests and act on a solid legal foundation.

The legal action centers around a policy decision made by Morawiecki in July 2022, which required PKP Cargo to prioritize coal transport. The company claims this policy resulted in significant financial losses. According to PKP Cargo, the former board implemented this policy without due diligence and failed to verify its legal basis, leading to further harm to the company's financial health. PKP Cargo's current acting president, Marcin Wojewódka, stated, "Reading the collected information leads to the conclusion that PKP Cargo undertook the implementation of the so-called coal decisions without due diligence in verifying the legal basis of the action and without adequate protection of the material interests of PKP Cargo."

Wojewódka emphasized the necessity of the legal action, citing it as a legal obligation. "The very manner of implementing the decisions in question caused significant material damage to the company. Therefore, there is an absolute necessity for the current Management Board of the company to submit a notification to the prosecutor’s office – this is an obligation resulting from the provisions of law," he added.

PKP Cargo is currently facing a challenging period, with a budget deficit of EUR 1.17 billion, declining volumes, and a drop in share value. In response, the current management has placed a third of its workforce on inactive status, reducing wages by 40% in hopes of stabilizing the company’s financial situation.

Source: RAILTARGET, Forsal