ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Burgas refinery switches to oil from Kazakhstan, Iraq and Tunisia

Photo: Ani Petrova

According to the London Stock Exchange (LSE), in January Bulgaria replaced imports of Russian oil with imports from Kazakhstan, Iraq and Tunisia, reports BTA, citing Reuters. 

Bulgaria has a derogation from the EU embargo against Russia, allowing it to import Russian oil by sea through 2024. But the country has restricted exports of all refined products produced from Russian crude from this month, making it almost impossible for its sole refinery Lukoil Neftochim Burgas to run on Russian oil, and has decided to stop all Russian crude imports from March.

Bulgaria was the fourth largest buyer of Russian oil by sea in 2023, with more than 100,000 barrels per day. The profitability of the plant is also affected by a 60% tax imposed by the Bulgarian government on the refinery's profits. The Russian company has already said that it is considering selling its assets in Bulgaria. Reuters notes that Lukoil and the Bulgarian Economy Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the information.


Bulgaria can take over operation of Russian company Lukoil's Neftochim Burgas refinery for up to a year, lawmakers decided on Friday in a vote aimed at protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring fuel supplies for the Balkan country. In doing so, Sofia is paving the way to take control of Lukoil's oil refinery if necessary, comments Reuters.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria Economy    Iraq Kazakhstan Lukoil Neftochim Burgas oil Russia Tunisia

More from category

European and Bulgarian businesses to meet with the Bulgarian Stock Exchange in Sofia

The Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE) will participate in the event "EU-Chambers Business Chill with the Bulgarian Stock Exchange," according to a post by the BSE on Facebook. The event is being organised by the Hungarian-Bulgarian Chamber of..

published on 11/19/25 8:15 AM

New business club works to promote Bulgarian entrepreneurs in Berlin

Under the name BGBizHub, Bulgarian entrepreneurs in Berlin have joined forces to promote and develop their businesses in Germany. "Like any other business, not only in Berlin or in Bulgaria, we currently face several problems -..

published on 11/18/25 4:20 PM

Bulgarians spend nearly 30% of their budgets on food

Bulgarians are consuming less bread, cheese and vegetables, but more fruit, according to the latest data from the National Statistical Institute on household consumption in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year...

published on 11/17/25 11:52 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 7
Partly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 11
Partly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 10
Fog
Min: -2 | Max: 6
Partly Cloudy
Min: -5 | Max: 12
Partly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 11
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 9
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 12
Overcast, rain
Min: -6 | Max: 6
Partly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 9
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 11
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 8
Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 12
Cloudy
Min: -4 | Max: 7
Fog
Min: 1 | Max: 6
Fog
Min: 2 | Max: 5
Partly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 11
Clear
Min: -2 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 9
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 10
Thunderstorms
Min: 0 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 12
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -3 | Max: 8
Mostly Cloudy
Min: -2 | Max: 12
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"