The Unipetrol group issued on Friday, 20th June the following standpoint concerning certain information appearing in the Hospodářské noviny daily:

The dialogue on biofuels and other conditions for competitiveness of the refinery production in the Czech Republic are continuous, the Unipetrol Group has been conducting this dialogue with the government for several years. Connecting this ongoing discussion with the information on possible offer from Shell, as it was done by Hospodářské noviny in an article in its today issue, "Shell Considering Sale of Shares in Rafinérská ", is therefore pure speculation.

This official declaration is related to the article “Shell Considering Sale of Shares in Rafinérská“, published on 20. 6. 2008 on page 13 and it continuation titled “Fight for refinery stakes begins“ on page 16.

UNIPETROL is a group of companies operating in the petrochemical industry in the Czech Republic. In 2005 UNIPETROL became part of PKN ORLEN Group, the largest downstream oil company in Central Europe. UNIPETROL primarily focuses on crude oil processing, fuels distribution and petrochemical production. In all these areas UNIPETROL group is one of leading players in both the Czech and Central European markets. UNIPETROL is one of the Czech Republic’s most important companies in terms of revenues (89 bn CZK) and it employs approximately 4,500 people.

Contact: 
Blanka Růžičková 
Spokesperson 
UNIPETROL, a.s. 

Telephone: +420 225 001 407, +420 731 881 111 
E-mail: blanka.ruzickova@unipetrol.cz​