Bulgaria has ample fuel reserves, says Energy Minister

Bulgaria’s Energy Minister, Zhecho Stankov, has reassured citizens and businesses that the country’s fuel supplies are sufficient to last for an extended period. “Our priority is secure supply at affordable prices — and that is guaranteed,” Stankov told journalists, according to BTA.

Earlier this week, the Bulgarian parliament passed emergency legislation twice in response to upcoming U.S. sanctions against the Russian company Lukoil and its Bulgarian assets. Lawmakers prohibited exports and intra-EU transfers of petroleum products and enacted changes concerning the role of the special commercial administrator overseeing Lukoil’s refinery and other facilities in Bulgaria.

The U.S. sanctions against Lukoil and its subsidiaries are scheduled to take effect on 21 November.