site.btaMRF Floor Leader Peevski, GERB MP Dobrev Urge Prosecution to Probe Lukoil Bulgaria for Illegal Russian Oil Export

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Floor Leader Delyan Peevski and GERB MP Delyan Dobrev have filed an alert to the prosecution magistracy to carry out an investigation at Lukoil Bulgaria to establish whether the Lukoil Neftochim oil refinery in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas, majority-owned by Russian company Lukoil, has circumvented an EU ban on member states to trade in products made from Russian oil, and by taking advantage of a derogation concerning the import of Russian crude oil and oil products, the refinery has earned big profits.

The alert, sent to the prosecutor's office and the State Agency for National Security, is based on a joint investigation conducted by the NGO Global Witness, the Center for the Study of Democracy in Bulgaria and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Finland. The investigation report was published by Politico on November 9, the MRF press office said on Saturday.

The alert calls for a thorough investigation to be carried out, and if specific individuals are found to have committed violations of the law that have led to the circumvention of sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU, to be taken necessary actions to protect the public interest and seek accountability.

Delyan Peevski became MRF Co-Floor Leader on October 16, 2023, sharing this position with Mustafa Karadayi. On November 8, Peevski became sole Floor Leader of the MRF, following the resignation of Mustafa Karadayi on November 7. Karadayi also tendered his resignation as leader of the party at the meeting of the Central Operational Bureau on Tuesday. MRF founder and honorary chairman Ahmed Dogan took over the operational leadership of the party until a national conference is held to elect Karadayi's successor. In addition to chairing the MRF parliamentary group, Peevski is a member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Legal Affairs in the 49th National Assembly. The chairmanship gives him the opportunity and legitimacy to participate in the chairmen's council meetings at the National Assembly, which determine Parliament's agenda.

On June 2, 2021, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Peevski for his extensive role in corruption in Bulgaria. OFAC described him as "an oligarch who previously served as a Bulgarian MP and media mogul and has regularly engaged in corruption, using influence peddling and bribes to protect himself from public scrutiny and exert control over key institutions and sectors in Bulgarian society. In September 2019, Peevski actively worked to negatively influence the Bulgarian political process in the October 27, 2019, municipal elections. Peevski negotiated with politicians to provide them with political support and positive media coverage in return for receiving protection from criminal investigations."