site.btaGERB Backs Termination of Lukoil's Concession of Rosenets Oil Port, Wants that to Apply to Oil Pipes and Also Want Special Administrator to Step In

GERB-UDF is supportive of taking steps towards terminating Lukoil's concession of Rosenets port but insist that this should also apply to the oil pipes and also that a special administrator should step in. The GERB position was made public by the party leader Boyko Borissov shortly after the co-leader of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, Kiril Petkov, announced the proposal for the oil port concession.

The figure of a special administrator was introduced in January 2023 when Parliament voted revisions to the law on administrative regulation of economic activities, related to crude oil and petroleum products. The revised law says that facilities for production, processing, treatment, storage and transportation of oil, including through pipelines, and energy products, which are crucial to national energy security, are subject to supervision by the Economy Minister. It also says that in the event of a threat to national security, abuse of monopoly position or international restrictions, the State will be able to take over the operational control of the company by appointing a special representative to manage it.

Borissov also said that there was a meeting Tuesday of himself, Kiril Petkov, Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, Democratic Bulgaria co-leader Hristo Ivanov, Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel and MPs Delyan Peevski and Yordan Tsonev of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), where the Rosenets concession was discussed along other "important decisions".

"The proposal was made by GERB-UDF, Democratic Bulgaria and the MRF and was not only about the Rosenets port but also about the pipes and about appointing a special administrator, so that the State can take full control," said Borissov. He added that Continue the Change were "vehemently opposed" to the idea about the pipes and the special administrator. 

"Now I hear Kiril Petkov urging me to support him for something that we argued yesterday how far it should go. But let's say that they are young and still learning," said Borissov.