Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria cannot independently lift sanctions on Russian oil and that any change to the restrictions would require an EU-wide decision.
Radev was responding to a question from Revival MP Kostadin Kostadinov about whether Bulgaria could resume importing cheaper Russian oil and seek an exemption from the sanctions regime. The prime minister said he had raised the issue in talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to Radev, direct imports of Russian oil could benefit Bulgaria's economy as well as those of neighboring countries and allies. He said current supply routes can require tankers to pass through as many as four straits, creating additional risks and significantly increasing transportation times.
“Tankers currently take 45 to 60 days to reach their destination,” Radev said, adding that this requires greater logistical capacity to store different types of crude.
He argued that the issue is not simply about finding the cheapest oil. The Lukoil Neftohim refinery in Burgas was designed to process crude with particular physical and chemical characteristics, including those associated with Russian Urals crude.
