site.btaUPDATED Justice Minister Says Government Is Acting to Ensure Adequate Fuel Supplies

Minister of Justice Georgi Georgiev said during a briefing at the Council of Ministers here on Friday that his Ministry is taking measures to ensure adequate fuel supplies for the Bulgarian people. The Minister accused his political opponents of poor statesmanship, as they use the ongoing events for fearmongering.

The meeting was called by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov to discuss measures after the US sanctions imposed on Lukoil, which owns Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, the largest oil refinery in the Balkans.

Georgiev said: "The responsible institutions reported on the current situation, given that the refinery in Burgas is a strategic site for national security, which is why additional measures have been taken by the security services and the Ministry of Interior, including ensuring capacity, manpower, and taking all other measures in view of the various incidents that have occurred in several European countries."

The Minister said that the situation is not a cause for panic, but rather a cause for increased vigilance, for updating risk assessments, and for taking appropriate action by the responsible services. He added that Zhelyazkov is kept up to date on the events which are being monitored.

Georgiev said that Bulgaria is not the only European country going through a similar situation. He added: "Therefore, in close cooperation with our European partners, we are preparing mechanisms to resolve the cases in accordance with the new situation that is emerging. The old plans from two years ago are no longer relevant, which is why the government is developing a new one to resolve the situation."

The Justice Minister said that Bulgaria is in touch with its US partners and with the agency imposing the sanctions in particular, as ensuring the refinery's operations is a matter of utmost importance. Bulgaria and its partners are looking for adequate solutions to ensure long-term supplies.

The Minister pointed out that the situation is dynamic and added that it has several aspects. He continued: "On the one hand, there is the supply and provision of fuel. Secondly, there is security. Thirdly, there is the issue of effectively applying sanctions in accordance with the law. It is no coincidence that we at the Ministry of Justice have analysed which subsidiaries are affected, what sanctions they are subject to, what the effect is and what Bulgaria needs to do in this regard. We are already in negotiations with our international partners, as our political opponents generously advise us to do."

Other reports presented at the forum came from the Minister of Interior Daniel Mitov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev, Minister of Energy Zhecho Stankov, Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova, Minister of Economy and Industry Peter Dilov, Justice Minister Georgiev, as well as from heads of services.