Around 460 companies could go bankrupt if Romanian authorities fail to urgently restart the Petrotel refinery, owned by Lukoil. This was stated by Bogdan Hossu, head of the national trade union confederation Cartel Alfa.
“Approximately 460 companies provide services to the refinery and due to the shutdown are on the verge of bankruptcy and will probably close“, he said in an interview with the business portal DCBusiness.
The union leader added that the mass closures could affect approximately 8,000 employees spread across the country, creating a “social problem“ for the state. According to Hossu, the government's inaction could lead to a shortage of diesel fuel on the domestic market, which would affect commodity prices.
Lukoil's refinery in Ploiești, a city in central Romania, was closed for maintenance in October 2025. It was later subject to US sanctions and effectively ceased operations. On September 1, the Prahova County Court declared the refinery bankrupt. The company's debts amount to over 400 million euros.
The refinery processes 21% of Romania's oil. It employs over 500 people out of a total of 3,500 employed by Lukoil in the country. In addition to the Petrotel refinery in Ploiești, Lukoil owns approximately 300 gas stations in Romania.