In brief
On July 9, MEP Daniel Obajtek squeezed under a security gate at the Solino mine and was pushed back by president Wojciech Kotlarek, who blocked his entry and called police.
About 250 workers have been protesting the planned sale of Qemetica assets to German firm K+S, fearing it will cripple the salt and brine operations crucial for energy storage.
The company accused Obajtek of trespassing and unlawfully claiming a parliamentary mandate, adding a mocking remark about another gate to pass at the prosecutor's office.
After the scuffle, Obajtek went to the Inowrocław police station 500 metres away, alleging Kotlarek violated his bodily integrity; the complaint was preliminarily classified under article 217a of the penal code.
Orlen said Obajtek, as CEO, signed an unfavorable deal with Qemetica that locked Solino into long-term brine supply while allowing the partner to demand price hikes later.
- Strike beginsHunger strike starts at IKS Solino, protesting planned Qemetica asset sale.
- Confrontation at mineObajtek attempts entry; scuffle with Kotlarek; police called.
- Police complaint filedObajtek files complaint alleging bodily harm at Inowrocław station.
- Orlen notificationOrlen files criminal notice with prosecutor's office against Obajtek for trespassing and mandate claim.
July 9 confrontation at the mine entrance
On Thursday, July 9, 2026, MEP Daniel Obajtek arrived at the IKS Solino facility in Inowrocław after a press conference with MP Przemysław Czarnek, where both backed the striking salt miners. Obajtek tried to enter the building, claiming he was carrying out a "parliamentary intervention." President Wojciech Kotlarek blocked him, reading from a prepared document that states only members of the Polish Sejm or Senate may conduct such interventions. Obajtek insisted his European Parliament mandate sufficed. The argument escalated into a physical struggle. Obajtek squeezed under a security gate, and Kotlarek stood in his way, pushing and shoving the politician. Cameras captured the exchange.
“Come to your senses! Who are you? Get out!”
Obajtek accused Kotlarek of violating his bodily integrity and repeatedly shouted, "You're hitting people! You're violating bodily integrity!" Police were called. Obajtek later filed a complaint at the Inowrocław police station, about 500 metres away, alleging bodily harm under article 217a of the penal code. Officers advised both parties of their rights to file official reports.
A four-month hunger strike over a salt-soda complex
The incident occurred against the backdrop of a hunger strike that has been ongoing since March 15, 2026. Workers at Solino, which employs about 250 people, are protesting the planned sale of assets of Qemetica (formerly Ciech), the main buyer of Solino's brine, to the German group K+S. The miners fear that the transaction could strangle the mine's operations, as Qemetica could stop taking brine or demand steep price increases. They demand that the government take over strategic salt and soda assets, draw up a long-term plan for the Kuyavia complex, and build an evaporation plant.
Solino operates two borehole mines in Góra and Mogilno and is Poland's largest brine producer. The caverns also serve as the country's biggest strategic crude oil and fuel storage facility, a fact the protesters stress as a matter of national energy security. Orlen has said the Qemetica situation does not threaten fuel storage.
Orlen's criminal filing and pointed message
On July 14, Orlen's press office announced it had submitted a notification to the prosecutor's office concerning Obajtek's actions. The statement read:
“We have filed a notification with the prosecutor's office regarding the trespassing on the plant's premises and the unlawful claim of a parliamentary mandate by Daniel Obajtek. Another gate to pass, this time it should be open.”
The last line was accompanied by a photo of the security gate at the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office, a mocking reference to the mine's gate Obajtek had slipped under. Orlen stressed that Solino is a strategic facility and that access is governed by security procedures; an MEP's mandate does not automatically grant entry.
Obajtek hits back, points to past contract
Obajtek responded swiftly on social media, calling Orlen's filing hollow. He urged the company to instead focus on negotiating with Qemetica for Solino's benefit. He claimed he had wanted to join the hunger strike at the workers' request.
“Instead of filing more empty notifications, you would do better to save IKS Solino. Has the Orlen management finally started negotiations with Qemetica, which would be beneficial for Solino?”
Orlen countered by revisiting Obajtek's own record as CEO in 2022. The group said that during his tenure, an unfavorable contract was signed with Qemetica, abandoning the long-standing practice of linking brine supply and salt delivery periods. As a result, Solino was locked into supplying brine at a fixed price for over a dozen years, while Qemetica could stop delivering salt and demand a price hike of several dozen percent later. Orlen argued this forced the company to seek alternative supplies.
What comes next
Police have initially classified the incident under article 217a of the penal code. The prosecutor's office now has Orlen's notification. Obajtek, who had declared he would remain with the protesters until Friday, July 10, left after the scuffle. The hunger strike continues, with union members rotating in and out of the Solidarity union office at the plant. No immediate government intervention has been announced, though the miners say they are waiting for a move from the state.