Bulgaria, EU To Discuss Oil Exports From Russia-Owned Refinery - Deputy Prime Minister

Bulgaria will clarify with the European Commission whether the country could continue exporting oil from a refinery owned by Russian company Lukoil and located in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Hristo Aleksiev said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2022) Bulgaria will clarify with the European Commission whether the country could continue exporting oil from a refinery owned by Russian company Lukoil and located in the Bulgarian city of Burgas, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Hristo Aleksiev said on Wednesday.

On Monday, Aleksiev said Lukoil's subsidiaries, Lukoil Neftochim Burgas and Lukoil-Bulgaria would transfer all their production and activity to Bulgaria and pay taxes in the country. At the same time, the Bulgarian official noted that there should be no obstacles for oil exports from these companies, despite the EU's looming embargo on Russian oil.

"Legal papers contain no direct ban on exports of oil products made from refined Russian oil.

There is a ban on crude oil shipped via pipelines, but Bulgaria imports oil via vessels. We have discussed it and realized that we need to organize a meeting with the European Commission to clarify this issue," Aleksiev was quoted as saying by the Bulgarian National Radio.

The deputy prime minister noted that the country would not take any action as long as negotiations are in progress.

In response to Russia's military operation in Ukraine, the European Union announced a ban on the provision of services and insurance to Russian oil supplies, as well as a partial embargo on Russian oil. The restrictions are due to go into force on December 5 for seaborne imports of Russian crude and in 2023 for petroleum products.