No disruptions are expected in the fuel market in Bulgaria as a result of the sanctions imposed by the United States against "Lukoil". This was stated by the chairman of the parliamentary committee on budget and finance Delyan Dobrev to journalists after today's meeting of the committee, BTA reports.
"The Bulgarian parliament is acting proactively and you know that about three weeks ago we adopted a bill at first reading in committee and in the plenary hall, by which the sale of "Lukoil" goes through a state sanction, first of the State Agency "National Security" and then through a sanction of the Council of Ministers. That is, we have taken measures even in advance," said Dobrev.
He assured that there is no reason for concern among consumers. "I do not expect any shocks on the fuel market. People should be calm", he said, adding that the common European market is large and there are many fuel producers.
According to him, the imposed sanctions are not of such a nature as to hinder the normal operation of the "Lukoil" refinery.
When asked by BTA whether the imposed sanctions could hinder or, on the contrary, spur a possible sale of the assets of "Lukoil" in Bulgaria, Dobrev replied that it is possible that they could have an impact on a hypothetical sale.
"The owner is private, but it is possible that it could have an effect in both directions", Dobrev pointed out.
Late at night Bulgarian time, the US Treasury Department announced new restrictions aimed at "Rosneft", "Lukoil" and their subsidiaries. Washington specified that the sanctions do not apply to the companies' transactions with the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) and "Tengizchevroil", which temporarily limits the effect on some of the international energy flows.
Earlier, the European Union also officially approved the nineteenth package of sanctions against Russia. Among the new measures is a ban on EU countries buying Russian liquefied natural gas, as well as sanctions against more than a hundred tankers carrying Russian oil.