The Bulgarian government will not support the European Union’s sixth package of sanctions on Russia unless the Balkan country secures its exemption from the proposed embargo on Russian oil, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Assen Vasilev said late Sunday.
The governments of the 27 came a little closer to an agreement to impose even tougher sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. They are planning new talks today to look at how countries that are most dependent on Russian oil exports will be able to cope.
“The talks will continue tomorrow and the day after tomorrow (Monday today and tomorrow Tuesday), a summit of leaders may be needed to conclude. Our position is very clear. If there can be an exception for some of the countries, we want “We are an exception,” Vassilev told BNT.
Otherwise, “we will not support sanctions. But I do not expect to get there, based on where the talks are at the moment,” he added.
Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, which are heavily dependent on Russian crude, which reaches them via Soviet-era pipelines, will find it difficult to find alternative sources of supply and seek exemption from the embargo, as will Bulgaria.
The European Commission on Friday proposed some changes to the initially proposed embargo to give more time to the top countries, but no concessions were offered to Bulgaria, according to European sources.
However, Mr Vasilev insisted that Sofia also needed an exemption, as its only refinery in Burgas needed time to upgrade to process other types of crude than Russian, especially in the desulphurisation process.
The Burgas refinery – owned by Russia’s Lukoil – is the main market supplier in the poorest of the 27 countries. Today, about half of the crude refined comes from Russia.
If it does not provide an exception, Bulgaria will face environmental risks in Burgas and / or the refinery will be forced to cut production, causing market shortages and further price increases, Vassilev argued.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
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