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The New Package of Sanctions against Russia - Bulgarian Political reactions

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Чете се за: 07:07 мин.
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Will it affect Bulgaria and what is the politicians' assessment?

новият пакет санкции русия оттекна народното събрание
Снимка: Десислава Кулелиева, БНТ

The new US sanctions against Russia have reverberated in the Bulgarian Parliament.

Members of the opposition, including We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria and MECH (Morality, Unity, Honour),warned that the measures could directly affect Bulgaria’s national security. They said that the Burgas refinery, owned by Lukoil, may be unable to process incoming tankers despite carrying non-Russian oil. While they called for the refinery’s immediate sale, they stressed that it should not fall into the hands of oligarchic or criminal interests.

The remarks come ahead of a scheduled afternoon meeting of the Energy Committee, where MPs are set to discuss a proposed legislative change making the State Agency for National Security (SANS) the final authority to approve future transactions in the potential sale of Lukoil. The opposition has expressed concerns over the current SANS director, Denyo Denev, whom they allege has close ties to a political faction. GERB leader Boyko Borissov disagreed and said that Denev is a proven professional deserving of his post.

Ivalyo Mirchev (WCC-DB) said:

“Lukoil is part of Bulgaria’s strategic infrastructure. It would be extremely dangerous if the company suddenly came under sanctions. The sooner Lukoil divests from the Burgas refinery, the better — as this remains a channel of Russian influence. But under no circumstances should it fall into the hands of the Bulgarian mafia.

If Bulgaria is Peevski, then Peevski wants to buy the refinery — to control its entry and exit points, draining it just as Multigroup did some 20 or 30 years ago.”

Asen Vasilev, leader of We Continue the Change, added: “Lukoil is too big a bite for Peevski. This is a deal of international scale, far beyond local squabbles or petty profiteering.”

Kostadin Kostadinov (Vazrazhdane): “It won’t affect operations at all. The company works with suppliers outside the EU, as it has done since 2022. So, the only way it will affect is that political forces, among others, both from the government and the so-called opposition, will try to use this situation to steal this business."

Radostin Vassilev, Chairman of MECH: “Trump’s sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil directly affect Bulgaria in a negative way. They impact the country’s national security, because there will be serious supply problems if Lukoil remains the owner of the Bulgarian refinery. We can expect fuel prices for end consumers to rise. What is particularly concerning is that, anticipating developments in two parliamentary committees dominated by GERB and ‘MRF – New Beginning,’ they are manoeuvring so that SANS, under Denyo Denev—directly subordinate to Peevski—approves and oversees the Lukoil deal.”

Boyko Borissov, chairman of GERB: "Such a deal in today's geostrategic situation will be watched by at least four headquarters in the world. It is no coincidence that SANS is the most respected in the United States by our partners. I appointed Denyo Denev to a post and I sent him to SANS. The then director Tonchev took him on as deputy director, and now, if you want to undermine someone, you simply say they are ‘Peevski’s man’. I do not accept that.”

GERB leader Boyko Borisov also addressed two other significant political issues. The first concerns the rotation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, a proposal put forward by GERB and “There Is Such a People” within the framework of the coalition council. Borisov stressed that it makes no difference to him whether the change takes place in a year’s time or sooner.

“What is important,” he said, “is that an agreement is reached within the Joint Governance Council—or, as I call it, the ‘house council’—on this matter.”

Borisov also addressed the controversy surrounding the vehicles of the presidential administration. He stated that, “to put an end to this circus,” he insists that Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova draft the necessary decree, to be submitted to the Council of Ministers, so that the cars and drivers are returned to the presidency and speculation on the matter should stop.

photo by BTA

Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova, standing alongside the leader of GERB, also addressed another key issue for the country: when next year’s budget will be finalised and submitted for parliamentary debate. She assured that the deadlines will be met and that the state’s financial plan will be presented to Parliament by the end of the month.

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