Bulgaria will discuss with the European Commission whether the country could export processed oil products, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Hristo Alexiev said. The country will not make such deals while the talks are going on, he pointed out.

"In the current regulations, there is no ban on the export of oil products made after processing crude Russian oil. There is a ban on crude oil delivered via oil pipelines, not by sea transport. Bulgaria imports oil by sea," Alexiev said.

On Monday, "Lukoil Neftohim Burgas" announced that in 2023 it will transfer all its economic activity to Bulgaria. The company insisted that they should have the right to export petroleum products, otherwise the refinery would close. According to Alexiev, consumption in Bulgaria is half of what is produced by the refinery.

• "Lukoil Neftohim Burgas" transfers its entire economic activity to Bulgaria