Lukoil in Bulgaria: Rumen Spetsov Appointed Special Manager

Rumen Spetsov, appointed by the Bulgarian government, emerges as a key figure in the complex situation facing the "Lukoil" group in Bulgaria. His appointment, approved at a meeting of the Council of Ministers following an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council to the Prime Minister, raises questions about the future of the large Russian company in the country and the impact of international sanctions.

The very appointment of Spetsov, in his capacity as a special manager, takes place against the background of increased international tension and expectations of the introduction of sanctions. Bulgaria is striving to find a solution that will allow the "Neftohim - Burgas" refinery to continue its work without interruption after November 21st. This date is of key importance, as the sanctions imposed by the United States of America against the Russian energy giants "Lukoil" and "Rosneft" come into force then.

Initially, the parliament rejected the president's veto on the amendments to the Law, which expand the powers of the special manager. This decision paved the way for further action. An extraordinary issue of the State Gazette was then published, in which the Law was promulgated to come into force.

Immediately afterwards, a meeting of the Security Council was held, which made a proposal to the government. This was followed by a swift reaction from the cabinet, which decided to appoint Spetsov. The entire procedure was carried out within an extremely short period, demonstrating a high degree of urgency.

The reason for this accelerated action is the need to deal with possible difficulties in retail trade. A large part of the banks have informed the government that, in implementing the sanctions, they will terminate card payments in the commercial establishments of "Lukoil Bulgaria" within the next week. This could potentially lead to serious problems in supply and the daily lives of citizens.

The appointment of a special manager is just one of the steps taken to reduce the risk of these problems. The government decided to react quickly and decisively.

A positive result from these actions came from Great Britain. The British authorities postponed the application of the sanctions for the "Lukoil Bulgaria" group until February 14th. This gives additional time to seek a long-term solution to the problem. Observers note that the situation remains tense and that important decisions are expected in the near future.