[scotty79]

That's rich coming from French. Long time ago France Telecom bought Polish top phone network. Immediately rebranded it to Orange (despite the fact that the company had one of the strongest brands on market where it operated).

Unsurprisingly the licensing fees for using Orange brand that the Polish company had to pay to France Telecom amounted to large percentage of taxable profits that the Polish company had. Overt theft from Polish company and Polish taxpayers.

[greyw]

Is that related to the privatization wave after 1989? If so, the culprit here is the corrupt political caste that sold companies below their true value for kickbacks. Corruption has been an endemic problem in the east.

[dr_kretyn]

It isn't. That happened some time around 2000. Unless your theory is that ~11 years isn't enough to change generations in which case there's more than that, right? Then give other examples.

[greyw]

Governments can block acquisitions and mergers for various reasons. Why this didnt happen in this case I dont know. Maybe they didnt understand the impact maybe regulators got paid off.

[lifestyleguru]

> Unless your theory is that ~11 years isn't enough to change generations in which case there's more than that

For the people holding power one decade is an eyeblink, the only generation change will be when they'll install their own children as a replacement.

> Maybe they didnt understand the impact maybe regulators got paid off.

They got paid off and by Western standards it was a bargain.

[lifestyleguru]

Ohhh the memory of their atrocious and extortive services still raises my adrenaline. The French bought the position of monopolist in the telecom market. That's (and similar privatization frauds) how the only true Russian-style oligarch in Poland was created - Jan Kulczyk. Thanks, French!

[mort96]

Nation state acts in its own interest, news at 11

No but seriously, this doesn't sound surprising? Why should France be against a French company buying up other companies and bringing revenue back to France

[scotty79]

Do you want euroscepticism? Because that's how you get euroscepticism.

[mort96]

I don't understand the problem honestly. I'd understand it if Poland stepped in and didn't let the company be bought out, but this just seems like bog standard normal globalized free market stuff? It would be extremely weird for France to step in and prevent a French company from buying a Polish company due to fears of stoking Euroscepticism among the polish population wouldn't it? And I don't even know what this has to do with the EU, companies have been buying up companies from other countries both in and out of the EU forever?

[scotty79]

I also don't expect nothing other from thief then continuing to steal.

I also expect thieves to be protective of their own assets.

I'm just saying they are still thieves and any outrage in their name is misplaced.

Screw the French when they are robbed for the benefit of other countries, because they steal from other countries using their public companies as well.

[mort96]

If you are criticising markets in general and capitalism's tendency of bigger companies buying up smaller companies then I understand and agree with you. If you are criticising France in particular then I don't understand what you think the problem is.

[scotty79]

I think I take special offence to government owned company doing that.