Polish ex‑Orlen CEO Daniel Obajtek charged over magazine withdrawal and false testimony

The Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office summoned Daniel Obajtek, former president of state oil company Orlen and current PiS member of the European Parliament, to hear charges in two separate matters. The first charge concerns the removal in March 2023 of the weekly newspaper "Nie" from all Orlen retail stations, a decision Obajtek previously defended as protecting religious symbols. The second charge alleges that Obajtek gave false testimony about his relationship with journalist Piotr Nisztor, based on a 2018 audio recording published by Onet that suggests undisclosed contacts. Obajtek denied any guilt and said he would not comment until he reviewed the evidence. Party officials, including vice‑president Przemysław Czarnek and other PiS figures, gathered outside the prosecutor's building to voice support, portraying Obajtek as a defender of Polish values.