On platform X (formerly Twitter), the law firm LEGA ARTIS posted:
“Trolleybuses from Lublin – sold for 280,000 PLN – in Ukraine sold for 1.2 million PLN. This is not ‘aid,’ this is business on suckers from Poland. Do we really have to tolerate our cities financing the Ukrainian economy?”
We checked how these claims correspond to the facts.
Analysis in brief
• The sale price in Poland was 280,000 PLN for four used Solaris Trollino 12 trolleybuses (about 70,000 PLN each).
• The cost in Ukraine reached 13.5 million hryvnias (~1.2 million PLN) for four vehicles, including transportation and inspections. The vehicles have already been delivered to Rivne and started operating.
• The statement about “business on suckers” is a subjective opinion, not a fact.
Sale of trolleybuses from Lublin
MPK Lublin retired four Solaris Trollino 12 trolleybuses. According to an article by Jawny Lublin, the vehicles were sold to the company JI Service for a total of 280,000 PLN — approximately 70,000 PLN per vehicle. The trolleybuses were used and did not meet all standards specified in the operating agreement, which may explain the low sale price.
Price in Ukraine
According to Kresy.pl, in the Ukrainian city of Rivne, the same or similar trolleybuses appeared in a tender with a price of about 13.5 million hryvnias, which equals roughly 1.2 million PLN for four vehicles.
Source: https://kresy.pl/wydarzenia/transakcja-budzaca-watpliwosci-trolejbusy-z-lublina-trzykrotnie-drozsze-na-ukrainie/
It should be noted that this amount applies to the entire group of trolleybuses, not a single vehicle. The article reports that the vehicles were delivered to Rivne at the beginning of August and soon began operating in the city, indicating that the transaction was indeed completed.
The tender price (~1.2 million PLN for four vehicles) reflects not only the value of the equipment itself but also the transportation and preparation of the vehicles for operation, which affects the total purchase cost. Additionally, only one company submitted an offer in this tender, so there was no competition. In a typical tender, several companies compete for a contract, usually lowering the price. The tender price often reflects additional costs, intermediary margins, or logistical conditions — in this case, transport and technical inspections. Therefore, the high price does not result solely from the value of the trolleybuses.
Analysis of the claim
• It is true that the buses were “sold for 280,000 PLN” according to MPK Lublin documents and local media articles.
• “In Ukraine sold for 1.2 million PLN” — also true. However, it should be clarified that the amount refers to four trolleybuses.
• The claim of “business on suckers from Poland” is the author’s interpretation, not a fact. The transaction took place within the framework of tenders and the sale of used assets, so the moral evaluation is not objectively verifiable.
Summary
The post on platform X (formerly Twitter) mixes facts with interpretations. The trolleybus prices and tender results largely correspond to media information, but the author generalizes the situation and adds a subjective evaluation. Most numerical data is correct, but the way it is presented may be misleading, suggesting that Poland “lost” on the sale — which has not been proven. The transaction illustrates how the sale of used public equipment between countries works, and the price differences primarily reflect logistical costs and vehicle preparation for operation, not an actual loss for Poland.
