Finance Ministry requests permission to release contract details in Unipetrol sale

The Finance Ministry has asked the Polish concern PKN Orlen for permission to publicly release details from a contract between the Czech state and PKN Orlen in the sale of the Czech Unipetrol oil and petrochemicals company earlier this year. PKN Orlen bought the Czech state's share in Unipetrol in May for more than 13 billion crowns, or 553 million U.S. dollars. The Finance Ministry's move follows a recent bribery scandal - so far unproven - that cast doubt on the transparency of the sale. The finance minister has maintained from the start that the sale of Unipetrol was above board.