The "Lukoil" refinery does not process Russian oil, said Economy Minister Alexander Pulev on "Speak Now".
He added that requests for derogations have already been submitted, after the US announced yesterday an extension of the deadline for another month for the postponement of sanctions related to the assets of "Lukoil".
"We submitted the necessary documents, together with experts from the Ministry of Energy, we had a number of meetings on the topic, official, unofficial, so I believe that we, on the part of the Bulgarian government, through the person and institute of the special trade regulator, have categorically complied with the requirements of the derogation at every moment", said the Minister of Economy:
Will we receive an extension of the derogation, however?
"I see what is happening, I have a view of the refinery, because after a legislative initiative by "Progressive Bulgaria", the Minister has already formally of the economy has access to information and I have taken advantage of this access to information and have seen the portfolio of suppliers. Each of the companies meets the requirements of sanctioned partners, so we have not been in violation at any point. Now we are still waiting for the analyses of the previous result of Mr. Spetsov's work. We have a scheduled international audit"
"Progressive Bulgaria" has already introduced a change to the Petroleum Products Act, which would turn the "Lukoil" facilities into facilities of national strategic importance.
"Imagine if the refinery stops working tomorrow, because this is literally the legacy, in reality, if the refinery stops working tomorrow, if Russian owners come in, sanctions start knocking on the door, then there will be a real demarche from the British and American embassies, because we will have no other choice but to enter some kind of explanatory regime. We will not have control over these companies."
Regarding the contract with "Rheinmetall" Alexander Pulev explained that the state is restarting the discussion and starting from a blank slate, which is the legacy of the previous administration.
"Realistically, at the moment, there is absolutely no agreement that would protect Bulgarian interests, that would show project readiness. 130 million have been transferred to VMZ - Sopot. We have established basic deficits that are at a structural level and that in any form give us this explanation - that there was no strong negotiating position, in any form the government and the Borisov cabinet were not ready to move forward with this process professionally."
There is absolutely no money, no such money was pledged, the minister added.
"There is no financial justification for the financial parameters and actually for the object of the investment intention. At one point, from a 400 million euro investment obligation and an amount from the Bulgarian government, this amount swells to nearly 700 million euros. That is, the obligation of the Bulgarian state becomes about 1.5 billion leva, behind which stand 180 million in the budget, which unfortunately exist only on paper."
Alexander Pulev also gave an example of strange and simulative actions by the previous rulers:
"Here there is a series of rather cynical and simulative actions by Mrs. Petkova, Mr. Borisov's Minister of Finance. Literally 180 million leva are being bet on the budget, which in a series of transactions reach VMZ, the partner of "Rheinmetall" in the joint venture. 180 million are transferred from the central budget to the State Investment Fund in the form of capital increases.
They reach the State Investment Fund and literally before they are accounted for and before they are registered in the commercial register, they are returned from the State Investment Fund in the form of dividends back to the central budget. A scheme, a series of accounting transactions, which has two main goals. First, to deceive our European partners that there is money, that there is initial capital to support this investment. And second, to deceive Bulgarian citizens by massaging a deficit number with a series of accounting tricks. And here we must categorically say, we are not like you. We are not like you and that is why we do not accept all your advice during the budget committee. We will not manipulate Bulgarian citizens. We will not use accounting tricks. We will not hide behind the backs of strategic partners."
Source: bntnews.bg