Russian oil giant Lukoil's Lukoil Neftokhim Burgas oil refinery in Bulgaria will be closed for scheduled repairs from February 26 to May 1, 2025, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during a parliamentary hearing.
"From February 26, 2025, the refinery will be shut down for scheduled repairs every four years. From April 25, the plant will be operational and from May 1, it will operate normally. Fuel reserves for the country's current needs are now 100% met. The most recent scheduled repairs at the refinery were carried out in July 2021," said Prime Minister Zhelyazkov.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stressed that the Bulgarian government cannot interfere with the refinery's sale plan and the sale mechanism, but can ban the transaction if necessary.
When asked whether the Bulgarian government was ready to buy the Burgas refinery, Prime Minister Zhelyazkov noted that it was up to the parliament. "The government implements the decisions of the parliament," the head of the Bulgarian government said.
Earlier, a number of political parties raised the initiative for Bulgaria to buy Lukoil's oil refinery.
Also according to Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, there are 7 companies bidding to buy the Lukoil oil refinery in Bulgaria.
“Initially, 24 companies expressed interest in acquiring the Burgas refinery and seven of them are still bidding to acquire the enterprise,” he said.
The Bulgarian government does not have full information about plans to sell the Burgas refinery, he noted.
"Bulgaria has the right to conduct the necessary checks regarding the possibility of selling the company's assets, since fuel production is a strategic industry and the refinery is a strategic enterprise. Bulgaria can approve or disapprove the sale of the enterprise. However, the assets of the plant belong to the Swiss company Litasco (a subsidiary of Lukoil) and this company, not Bulgaria, will decide to whom and when to sell its assets. However, we can be a candidate for the acquisition of the enterprise, but only if the parliament makes a decision," Zhelyazkov added.
Almost a year ago, Lukoil announced that it had initiated a strategic review of its assets in Bulgaria, including the possible sale of the refinery due to significant changes in operating conditions. In Bulgaria, Lukoil owns the Burgas refinery, a chain of gas stations and oil storage facilities, as well as a marine and aviation refueling business.
