The Russian private energy group "Lukoil" may sell the largest refinery in Bulgaria for $1 billion and announce the candidates for it on Monday.
This is stated by the Russian section of "Deutsche Welle" in an article under the title "Lukoil" says goodbye to Europe and sells another asset in the EU", FOCUS reported.
New details have also been published, including claims of interest from Bulgarian entrepreneurs.
The Bulgarian oil refinery is no longer mentioned among foreign projects on Lukoil's website.
Despite the sanctions, Lukoil continues to operate a strategically important facility that plays a key role in the region's energy supply. The company's main owner is Litasco, a company registered in Switzerland.
The Russian company itself announced at the end of 2023 that Lukoil's refinery in Bulgaria could be put up for sale due to "a significant change in operating conditions". The fact is that since March 2024, Bulgaria has stopped buying oil from Russia, which previously provided up to 90% of the country's energy supplies. In October 2024 the immediate sale of the asset was announced by the then Minister of Finance of Bulgaria, Assen Vasiliev.