site.btaUPDATED GERB to Move for Withdrawal of Lukoil's Exemption from EU Ban on Russian Oil, Finance Minister Says Any Change Must Be Discussed First

Next week GERB will move a draft resolution in Parliament to give the government one week to withdraw Lukoil's derogation from the EU's ban on supplies and processing of Russian oil, Floor Leader Desislava Atanasova said on Friday evening. On the next day, Finance Minister Assen Vassilev said any proposed change would have to be seen and discussed first.

"We believe we must introduce the most liberal requirements for fuel storage and the State must appoint a special commercial administrator [at the Lukoil Neftochim refinery in the Black Sea city of Burgas]," Atanasova also said. "The fact that the government cannot make bold decisions should not be ascribed to all who support it because our parliamentary group knows how to govern even in a crisis."

Оn Saturday, the Finance Minister commented that Parliament had already made a decision and any new proposal would have to be discussed by the government, including the economy minister. That decision was based on detailed reports about the possible pace of transition to non-Russian oil, Vassilev said.

The derogation from the embargo on oil imports was granted by the European Commission to Bulgaria in 2022 due to its specific geographic exposure and was to apply until the end of 2024.

On September 28, the Bulgarian Parliament decided that from October 1, 2024 onward, the Lukoil Neftochim refinery must process only non-Russian oil. Amending the Act on Control over the Implementation of Restrictive Measures in View of Russia's Actions Destabilizing the Situation in Ukraine, the MPs also decided that a special commercial administrator will be appointed at Lukoil by the Council of Ministers on a proposal by the minister of economy and industry following an opinion statement by the Council on Security under the Council of Ministers.

Earlier in October, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said the Russian oil derogation should not be reconsidered for the time being, as the phased introduction of non-Russian oil implies there is time to react if the situation changes. "For the moment we can proceed as planned," he said.