European Commission to investigate Bulgaria over evasion of sanctions against Russia by Lukoil

Friday 10 November 2023 06:46

Friday, 10 November 2023, 06:46

European Commission to investigate Bulgaria over evasion of sanctions against Russia by Lukoil

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“The European Commission will probe Bulgaria after a Russian oil firm (Lukoil – editorial note) in the country exploited a loophole in EU sanctions to raise €1 billion for the Kremlin’s war chest,” writes Politico, as quoted by the BNR correspondent in Brussels Anguelina Piskova.

Politico has also published an analysis in which it writes “…Bulgaria has likely exported almost 3 million barrels of Russian-origin oil products by sea from March to July this year alone”, and cites two examples – one of a tanker with 265,000 barrels of high-sulfur fuel oil which loaded at Burgas and unloaded at the port of Rotterdam, and the second – a tanker reloaded near Malta and redirected to Florida.

“We're paying attention to it and we've asked the Bulgarians to explain themselves,” said a senior Commission official, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly, Politico writes.

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