ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Burgas refinery switches to oil from Kazakhstan, Iraq and Tunisia

Photo: Ani Petrova

According to the London Stock Exchange (LSE), in January Bulgaria replaced imports of Russian oil with imports from Kazakhstan, Iraq and Tunisia, reports BTA, citing Reuters. 

Bulgaria has a derogation from the EU embargo against Russia, allowing it to import Russian oil by sea through 2024. But the country has restricted exports of all refined products produced from Russian crude from this month, making it almost impossible for its sole refinery Lukoil Neftochim Burgas to run on Russian oil, and has decided to stop all Russian crude imports from March.

Bulgaria was the fourth largest buyer of Russian oil by sea in 2023, with more than 100,000 barrels per day. The profitability of the plant is also affected by a 60% tax imposed by the Bulgarian government on the refinery's profits. The Russian company has already said that it is considering selling its assets in Bulgaria. Reuters notes that Lukoil and the Bulgarian Economy Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the information.


Bulgaria can take over operation of Russian company Lukoil's Neftochim Burgas refinery for up to a year, lawmakers decided on Friday in a vote aimed at protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring fuel supplies for the Balkan country. In doing so, Sofia is paving the way to take control of Lukoil's oil refinery if necessary, comments Reuters.

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.
Radio Bulgaria Economy    Iraq Kazakhstan Lukoil Neftochim Burgas oil Russia Tunisia

More from category

Ruslan Stefanov and Elenko Bozhkov

The proceeds from the sale of Lukoil Neftohim should be frozen, experts say

It is extremely concerning that the largest company in Bulgaria, Lukoil Neftohim, which is part of the country's critical infrastructure, is still in the hands of a country that has declared Bulgaria a hostile state. This opinion was shared by energy..

published on 2/2/25 11:58 AM
Lyubomir Karimansky

The financial system in Bulgaria is stable, Lyubomir Karimansky says

“The divergence between the monetary and the fiscal policy pursued by the government continues to be the main reason why Bulgaria does not meet all criteria yet for entering the Eurozone,” Lyubomir Karimansky, member of the Governing Council of the..

published on 2/1/25 2:59 PM

Germany remains Bulgaria's largest foreign trade partner

Germany remains Bulgaria's strongest economic partner. Trade between the two countries for 2024 amounts to EUR 12 billion, said Tim Kurth, President of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.  At a ceremony held at the University of..

published on 1/31/25 9:32 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -9 | Max: 6
Cloudy
Min: -1 | Max: 5
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 3
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -14 | Max: 4
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -11 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -7 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -8 | Max: 2
Partly Cloudy
Min: -8 | Max: 4
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -11 | Max: 6
Partly Cloudy
Min: -11 | Max: 3
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -9 | Max: 3
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 5
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -11 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 2
Partly Cloudy
Min: -9 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -6 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 4
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -8 | Max: 4
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -11 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -10 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -6 | Max: 4
Partly Cloudy
Min: -9 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: -7 | Max: 3
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 4
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"