Is Russian Oil Flowing to Bulgaria in 2026?
Bulgaria's only oil refinery, Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, processed Russian crude for most of its post-Soviet history. Since March 2024, that has been banned by law
Gazprom Sets Foot on Bulgaria Retail Fuel Market
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Russian gas giant Gazprom headquarters in Moscow. Photo by EPA/BGNES
Russian energy giant Gazprom has acquired a license from the Bulgarian government to purchase 7 filling stations in the country.
Gazprom will be acting by means of newly-founded NIS Petrol company, registered in Bulgaria.
The company has listed as its fields of activity the exploration and production of fuels, as well as storage, logistics, retail and wholesale.
Bulgaria's Commission on Protection of Competition has mandated that Bulgaria's retail market for car fuels is structured in such a way that the entry of NIS Petrol will not create a dominant position for Gazprom.
Most of natural gas coming into Bulgaria (some 90%) is of Gazprom provenance, coming via various intermediary.
Bulgarian company Overgas, owned by Gazprom, also sells a large part of the natural gas to Bulgaria's households.
Earlier in 2011, controversy raged in Bulgaria over whether Lukoil Bulgaria, owned by Russian giant Lukoil, has an excessively dominant position in Bulgaria's retail fuel market.
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