The definitive lift of the derogation for Russian oil from March 1, 2024 should not affect the Bulgarian market and lead to price increases, Bulgaria’s Minister of Finance Assen Vassilev told journalists in Blagoevgrad, the BTA reported. The reason for his comment was the agreement between GERB-SDS, We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms to cancel the derogation for Russian oil in two steps. The first step is the suspension of export quotas from January 1, 2024. The second step is the definitive abolition of the derogation from March 1, 2024. According to Assen Vassilev, Lukoil Neftohim Burgas' warning for forced shutdown of production is an attempt to instill fear. ‘'If there is non-Russian oil, it can safely be exported’', Assen Vassilev explained, as quoted by BNR-Horizont.

• Lukoil warns of possible shutdown of production