Only 10 years ago he was dealing in condoms, he was a student at 850 euros a month and had unbridled ambition. Then, with one amazing speed, became a billionaire. Indeed, with the 2,6 billion turnover of his company, the Czech Daniel Kretinsky he is, according to Forbes, one of the richest men in Eastern Europe. In reality, the 2,6 billion are certainly more, if we consider other businesses with other shareholders, such as the Slovak Patrik Tkáč, and very discreetly "unstructured". So, as the blog reports Paula's house, is one of the most powerful businessman in the western world, who arrived, with secret service confidentiality, to check entire European economic sectors energy, media, retail and even sport. FIRSTonline reveals its consistency, characteristics and risks for the first time.
OWNER OF HALF EUROPE AND NO ONE KNOWS HIM
First of all, check Metro, Mediaworld, Saturn, Fnac and Darty. That is to say the most important slice of consumer electronics retail and food wholesale. Same in Eastern Europe. Second factor, disturbing, is holding the media control throughout Eastern Europe. In France he bought important publishing houses, radio, TV, up to the point of control of Le Monde. Third, it's hers there majority of highly polluting European mines, those of coal (lignite) and related coal-fired power plants in Germany, Eastern Europe, England and Italy.
It follows that Kretinsky, linked to the anti-European and reactionary premiers of the Visegrad pact, he's able to influence the opinion and fundamental purchases of European households. It should be emphasized that he is closely related to the richest man in Czechia, Petr Kellner, being engaged to their daughter Anna. Kellner funded the foundation of former Czech president, sovereigntist Vaclav Klaus, ha supported Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and far-right parties in Germany and Austria. This is Kretinsky's world and, among other things, the German press and Greens have long been trying to better understand his activities in the media and energy fields.
AMBITIOUS PROGRAMS FOR THE METRO
Let's go into detail starting from the very rapid entry into the capital of Metro and Ceconomy (Fnac-Darty) last summer. And because Kretinsky's rise, as he himself proved, is only just beginning. EP Global Commerce's (EPCG) EP Investment group, in which Kretinsky owns a majority, has bought over 10 percent of Metro with an option for the remainder, partly by Metro Haniel Finance Deutschland GmbH of the Haniel family, majority shareholder of Metro with 22,5 percent, and partly by Ceconomy, which after the separation from Metro controls MediaSaturn Retail Group, to which it added the acquisition of 24 percent Fnac Darty. Despite being in the minority, Kretinsky immediately showed an attitude of command, decisively demanding a seat on the board of directors and announcing plans for a relaunch and investment for a company - according to him - decidedly undervalued.
As for the investment in coal mines, it is known that Europe decided at the time that this fuel, being highly polluting, must be abandoned. Kretinsky not only ignores it, but actually only two years ago bought the brown coal assets of Vattenfall in Lusatia. “Lignite is the ideal bridge technology – he declared the day after the operation to the Handelsblatt newspaper – Germany cannot only produce electricity with renewable energies“. But he had to take on the obligations for recultivation, employee retirement and compensation for environmental damage. Previously, its EPH (Energetický a průmyslový holding) in Germany had acquired the Zeitz-based Mibrag mining company and Helmstedter Revier GmbH (HSR) with the Buschhaus power plant.
PANAMA PAPERS AND TAX HAVENS, BUT WHO IS KRETINSKY REALLY?
Kretinsky bought among other things a majority stake in Eustream, the important gas pipeline that from Russia crosses Ukraine and arrives in Slovakia, an operation at the basis of the formidable expansion of EHP which has 25.000 EPH employees, of whom 10 work in Germany. And which today is the largest energy group in Central Europe.
Kretinsky's name also appeared in the Panama Papers because he owned a postal company in the British Virgin Islands. While Greenpeace maintains a black book on EPH's decidedly hard-to-extricate activities in Lusatia, accusing Kretinsky of taking money from the company.
Discussed, certainly linked to reactionary, anti-European and sovereignist environments, the Slovak billionaire has an extraordinary gift on his side: an extreme speed of decision seasoned with an apparent courtesy of manners and speech. But in reality it is an iron fist in a velvet glove.
