Nearly 40 reports have been received on the "green phone" of the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) in Burgas within the last 24 hours alone. Due to numerous complaints from citizens concerned about a noticeable smell of gas and petroleum products in various parts of the city, the environmental inspectorate has taken immediate action.
Currently, a specialized team from the agency is on the premises of "Lukoil Neftohim Burgas," where an inspection of the production site is underway. Experts are closely monitoring the technological processes and the load levels of the facilities and installations. The strict adherence to the requirements set out in the oil refinery's integrated permit is also being monitored.
In parallel, inspectors are verifying the extent to which the company is applying its Operational Action Plan, designed for periods of unfavorable meteorological conditions when air quality may deteriorate or unpleasant odors may occur. RIEW has committed to publicly disclosing the final results and conclusions of the analysis as soon as the inspection is completed.
A similar incident involving mass reports of suffocating odors was recorded last year. At that time, the director of RIEW, Pavel Marinov, noted that suspicions fell on vessels anchored in the sea, but emphasized that the institution has no legal jurisdiction over them. Nevertheless, in the summer of 2025, it was proven that the source of the pollution was the transfer of oil between two tankers in the area of the Port of Burgas.