Former Minister of Economy and Energy Rumen Ovcharov sharply criticized the state's actions towards the "Lukoil Neftochim" refinery and the government's financial policy. In an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio, he stated that the country is suffering serious economic damage due to incompetent management and warned of the risks of resorting to international arbitration.
According to Ovcharov, the results of the management of the special manager Rumen Spetsov at "Lukoil" are catastrophic, with the main problem being the drastic decline in the production of the most sought-after product.
"The most sought-after product of the refineries is currently aviation fuel. And "Lukoil" has been producing a minimum of aviation fuel for the second month. The maximum capacity is 43 thousand tons per month. In April we produced 15. Instead of 43 - 15", the former minister pointed out.
He adds that the price difference between diesel and aviation fuel is 130 dollars per ton and expresses doubt about the motives for this production policy. "I can only explain it in one way. The companies that he has designated to export cannot export aviation fuel. Accordingly, they cannot profit from this export. They export diesel," claims Ovcharov.
Regarding the arbitration instituted by "Lukoil" against Bulgaria, Rumen Ovcharov expresses serious concerns about the outcome of the case.
"Spetsov did everything possible that depended on him for us to lose this arbitration. It also does so with these economic losses suffered by the owner of the enterprise," he commented, criticizing the dismissals of experienced production process managers at a time when working with substandard fuels.
In his analysis of the cabinet's first steps, Ovcharov defines the focus on the budget and spending as correct, but warns of the spiral of debts.
"Last year we paid almost 511 million euros to pay off old debts. By 2030, it will be 2 billion euros. Our debt was about 23%, last year it was about 29%," the former minister calculates.
He also draws attention to social policy, emphasizing that the Swiss rule only compensates for inflation, but does not represent a real increase in income for pensioners, while at the same time the costs for power ministries have increased dramatically.
At the end of the conversation, Rumen Ovcharov also commented on the situation in the BSP, outlining three possible paths for Krum Zarkov. According to him, the most correct choice is the fight for the party, which, however, requires categorical actions.
"The third is to fight - both for oneself and for the party, but this fight goes through clearing out all the servitude of Delyan Peevski, Boyko Borisov, Kiril Dobrev, etc.," Ovcharov is categorical.