Bulgaria Temporarily Bans Fuel Exports to EU Following Lukoil Sanctions
Bulgaria's parliament temporarily banned on Friday exports of some fuels, mainly diesel and aviation fuel, to EU member states to ensure the stability of the local market following U.S. sanctions on Russia's Lukoil, which runs the country's biggest oil refinery.
Last week, Bulgaria announced it would take measures to secure uninterrupted supplies of oil and oil derivatives after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft over Moscow's war in Ukraine.
The parliamentary decision, initiated by ruling parties, was taken with 135 votes in favour, four against and 42 abstentions.
The ban will not apply to the refuelling of domestic and foreign ships, aircraft and deliveries to the armed forces of European Union and NATO member states, according to the BTA news agency.
Parliament instructed the director of the customs agency to enforce the ban on the fuel products and authorised him to allow the export of certain products at his discretion.
It also instructed the chairman of the State Agency for State Reserve and Wartime Stocks to inspect the fuel reserve stock quantities within one week.
Lukoil runs Bulgaria's 190,000 barrel-per-day Burgas oil refinery, operates more than 200 petrol stations and has a fuel transport and depot network.
On Thursday, Lukoil said it had accepted an offer from global commodity trader Gunvor to buy its foreign assets, which Russia's second-largest oil company was seeking to sell after the Washington sanctions.
(Reuters)