Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

President Radev addresses Constitutional Court over government's decision to tax Russian gas transit

Photo: BGNES

Head of State Rumen Radev has asked the Constitutional Court to review a newly introduced tax on the transit of Russian pipeline gas. The provisions of the Restrictive Measures against Russia Control Act impose 'energy taxes' on the import of Russian natural gas into Bulgaria and its transit through the country's territory to Europe.

The President points out that a number of regulations laid down in the Bulgarian Constitution have been violated and that the legality of the newly introduced 'tax' is questionable. It is also unclear whether it is a tax, a fee or a duty.
The law introducing the tax violates the principles of guaranteeing the right to property and free economic initiative, and was adopted in violation of the rules for exercising legislative initiative and the rule of law, the president added. Radev stressed that the EU member states are in a common customs union and that there is a ban not only on customs duties between the countries of the union, but also on the unilateral imposition of "all charges having equivalent effect to customs duties".
In his letter, the President recalls that relations between EU Member States and third countries are governed by a Common Customs Tariff set by the EU Council on a proposal from the European Commission. Moreover, the EU sanctions regime does not provide for Member States to impose additional restrictions on their own territory.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Cloudy weather and higher temperatures expected on Friday

On Friday morning, there will be fog in the lowlands and valleys. The cloud cover will start to increase from the west. The lowest temperatures will be between minus 2°C and 3°C, around minus 1°C in Sofia. During the day, there will be temporary..

published on 1/23/25 5:20 PM

UPDATED: Bulgarian hostages released by Yemen's Houthis return home

Captain Lyubomir Chanev and chief mate Danail Veselinov returned to Bulgaria. They were held captive by Yemen's Houthis for 430 days. The Galaxy Leader ship with the two Bulgarians on board, was hijacked in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023, shortly..

published on 1/23/25 5:13 PM

Citizens protest in support of the Blue Stones Nature Park

Environmentalists protested in front of the Ministry of Environment and Water against plans to reduce the area of the Blue Stones Nature Park and the creation of settlements. According to the environmentalists, if construction in the park is not..

published on 1/23/25 3:54 PM