We have spoken with the Minister of Finance and the governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) to follow up very carefully and be careful, because this is no joke. We might run out of fuel at some point. What are the sanctions against the banks that service the transfers for the purchase of oil. The issue with “Lukoil” is serious and very delicate, we are ready to take legislative action if necessary.
This was stated by the leader of GERB, Boyko Borisov, on the occasion of the information about the sanctions imposed by the USA on the two largest Russian oil companies – “Rosneft” and “Lukoil”. He added that there had been expectations that this would happen.
“You don’t think that Delyan Dobrev and Stanislav (Anastasov from DPS “Novo nacholo”, author’s note) just like that in the evening, as they were sitting, and thought of this by chance. I consider myself a fairly informed person”commented Borisov on the occasion of legislative changes undertaken, related to the ownership of “Lukoil” in Bulgaria. We got ahead of the events, we are ready with the second reading of the draft lawthe GERB leader pointed out. According to him, all options are provided.
On October 8, the Energy and Economic Commission of the National Assembly urgently adopted a bill introducing new rules for the sale of “Lukoil – Neftokhim”. The joint meeting was urgently convened during the break of the plenary session on a bill introduced last night after the end of the previous working day by Delyan Dobrev (GERB), Stanislav Anastasov (“DPS – New Beginning”), Ivan Ibrishimov (BSP) and Pavela Mitova (“There is such a people”).
The proposal stipulates that the law on the promotion of investments should state that the buyer must be a strategic investor, and that the deal should be approved by the Council of Ministers after a report by the National Security State Agency. The importers then hinted that a deal for Neftokhim from Burgas is expected within days. “Imagine that there is an imminent danger of concluding such a deal in the coming days, that would explain the urgency,” Delyan Dobrev said.
At 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, the Committee on Energy is scheduled to consider the second reading of the bill amending and supplementing the Investment Promotion Act.
Boyko Borisov said today that there is time to react, which would allow the sanctions to be lifted. “It’s the big game right now,” he added.
To a question related to the intention of DANS to verify a possible sale of “Lukoil” in Bulgaria, Borisov replied that, in addition to our agency, a similar process will be monitored by other services. “From at least four plants”, he explained. It is not by chance that DANS is the most respected service in the USA by our partners, added the leader of GERB.
Borisov does not accept the claims that the acting chairman of DANS Denyo Denev is close to Delyan Peevski. I appointed him, he said in response to a question about the possibility of Deneuve Deneuve heading DANS and the agency checking a possible sale of Lukoil.
Zhelyazkov: We have 1 month for a national decision on how to approach the refinery as a country
The sanctions imposed by the US against Lukoil will not prevent the production of the refinery in Burgas, and Bulgaria has one month to decide how to approach it, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov pointed out today upon his arrival to participate in the meeting of the European Council in Brussels.
This does not prevent the production and supply of petroleum products, the refinery has not been working with Russian oil for a long time. There will be difficulties for the refinery in view of its ownership. There is enough fuel produced, the refinery must continue to operate. Fuel supplies are guaranteed, and I’m not talking about the near future, but in principle, the prime minister specified.
In response to a question, he explained that the necessary measures have been taken for the security of the refinery and the port in Rosenets in order to prevent sabotage.
These are the first sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. Russia’s inability to stop the war and killings has led the EU and the Belgian administration to take this economic approach. The refinery in Burgas is part of the Lukoil system in Russia. Part of it is because it owns more than 50 percent of Russia’s Lukoil. The refinery falls under this sanctions regime. Until November 21, it is possible to carry out all necessary transactions and transfers. We have one month to make the national decision on how to approach the refinery as a country, along with the refinery itself and its managementsaid Zhelyazkov.
The US Treasury stated that the termination of business relations with the sanctioned “Rosneft”, “Lukoil”, their subsidiaries and companies in which they have at least 50% or more ownership, must be done by the morning of November 21. The special license for a one-month suspension of the US sanctions has been published on the ministry’s website.
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