Bulgaria Get Exemption until 2024

As part of the EU agreement to ban Russia seaborne oil, Bulgaria will have an exemption until end 2024 according to Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov.

• The delay is required to convert the Lukoil Neftochim Burgas oil refinery from processing Urals crude to alternative sources.
• "This is an opportunity for us to sort out our refinery and avoid price increases based on changes in the mix," said Petkov.
• Slovakia and the Czech Republic have previously expressed need for more time to implement a ban. Previous EU proposals also gave Slovakia until the end of 2024 and Czech until mid-2024.