Expats

Bulgaria Customs Boss: Lukoil Stages Fake Trial against Me [May 15, 2012] Bulgaria's prosecution acts under pressure by oil company Lukoil Bulgaria to levy charges against Customs Agency head Vanyo Tanov, according to Tanov himself. The Bulgarian customs boss spoke out to the press after the first hearing in the case Tuesday, saying that the trial is fake and staged and that accusations against him are baseless. Gen Vanyo Tanov is charged for allegedly disclosing ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Energy Minister Mulls Removal of Biofuel Component [Apr 06, 2012] Commenting on measures to tackle climbing fuel prices, Economy and Energy Minister Delyan Dobrev said in Parliament that the removal of the bio component from diesel would lead to a BGN 0.05 price cut. Speaking after Thursday's meeting with Lukoil Bulgaria CEO Valentin Zlatev, he voiced worries over the situation, adding that before taking steps, their impact had to be analyzed. ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Oil Oligarch Admits to Excessive Fuel Prices [Apr 04, 2012] The General Director of Lukoil Bulgaria Valentin Zlatev, known as one of the top Bulgarian oligarchs, has admitted that fuel prices in the country are way too high. Zlatev, who is in charge of the Bulgarian branch of the Russian oil giant, including the largest refinery in the Balkans, Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, did say, however, that it is both the consumers, and the producers who suffer from the ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Antitrust, Italy Unbundles, Goldman Letter: Compliance [Mar 19, 2012] Bulgaria?s antitrust regulator said four fuel retailers including the Bulgarian units of OMV AG (OMV) of Austria, OAO Lukoil (LKOH) , Russian oil producer, Rompetrol Rafinare SA (RRC) and Petrol AD (5PET) are suspected of being involved in price fixing. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria's Anti-Trust Watchdog Digs Up Fuel Cartel [Mar 16, 2012] Bulgaria's Competition Protection Commission has discovered a cartel of major gasoline and diesel suppliers, the institution announced on Friday. According to the CPC, some of leading gas station suppliers in Bulgaria have committed violations in the sense of a price cartel agreement. The watchdog said the companies involved in the cartel are Lukoil Bulgaria EOOD, Rompetrol Bulgaria AD, Naftex ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria to Fine 4 Fuel Retailers over Price Cartel - Report [Mar 06, 2012] Bulgaria's anti-trust regulator has decided to slap fines on four major fuel retailers for conspiring to increase fuel prices, according to local media reports. The Commission for Protection of Competition launched the probe in the summer of 2011, encompassing Lukoil Bulgaria, Naftex Petrol, Rompetrol and OMV, 24 Hours daily reported, citing a document by the regulatory body that it has obtained ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Must Negotiate Gas Price Cut with Gazprom ? Right-Wing MP [Feb 20, 2012] The right-wing Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party have demanded that the government immediately start talks with Russia's Gazprom to renegotiate the terms of the gas supply contract. The latest increase in retail gasoline and diesel prices caused the MPs to declare that the state had given up its authority over the Lukoil Neftochim refinery. Speaking at a Monday press conference, Dimtar ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil Bulgaria signs euro910m hydrocracker deal [Jan 25, 2012] The Bulgarian branch of Russian oil giant Lukoil has announced plans to build a euro910 million ($1.18 billion) addition to its Neftochim refinery.Under a deal signed Wednesday, Italian unit of Technip ... [via YahooNews] More >>

The Boring End of the Lukoil Bulgaria Opera [Jan 17, 2012] Bulgaria's Customs Agency awarded Monday to the Lukoil Neftochim refinery in the Black Sea city of Burgas protocols certifying compliance of its measuring equipment with state requirements. Thus, Bulgaria's great Lukoil Opera (or saga if you prefer) came to an end without much fanfare ? unlike the way it started in July 2011 when Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and Customs Agency chief ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil Bulgaria dismisses tax claims [Aug 27, 2011] Lukoil Bulgaria CEO Valentin Zlatev rejected the claims that his company had violated tax or customs laws, the Sofia news agency reported on Saturday. [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil Bulgaria CEO Firm in Rebuffing Tax Violations Claims [Aug 27, 2011] The CEO of Lukoil Bulgaria, Valentin Zlatev, remains unwavering the company has not committed any tax or Customs law violations. "Lukoil does not have even one citation for tax and Customs violations," Zlatev is quoted saying. He was adamant that Lukoil never stopped fulfilling the requirements of Order 3 for the installment of electronic measuring devices to be connected to the National Revenue ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Local Politics and Russian Energy Mix in Bulgaria [Aug 16, 2011] SOFIA, Bulgaria ? Boiko Borisov took power pledging better terms for Bulgaria in energy deals with Russia, kicking off a drive that has sparked a battle with oil giant LUKoil just two months before presidential polls. [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria Top Court: No Halt to Operations for Lukoil [Aug 10, 2011] Bulgaria's top court upheld Wednesday a previous ruling providing that the Lukoil Neftochim should stay in operation until the legality of its revoked tax warehouse operator license is finally decided. The Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) thereby allowed the refinery to process fuel until the end of 2011 at the least, given that the first sitting of the Administrative Court Sofia City (ACSC ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Bulgaria probes LUKoil over local fuel cartel [Aug 04, 2011] The Bulgarian anti-monopoly commission has begun an investigation into LUKoil Bulgaria, the Bulgarian trading arm of Russia's largest privately-run oil company LUKoil, over suspected abuse of its dominant market position and possible participation in cartel agreements, Kommersant business daily said on Thursday. [via YahooNews] More >>

LUKoil Investigated in Bulgaria [Aug 03, 2011] SOFIA ? Bulgaria's anti-monopoly commission has begun an investigation into the local trading arm of LUKoil over suspected abuse of a dominant market position and possible cartel agreements. [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil's Bulgaria refinery resumes operations [Aug 03, 2011] Bulgaria's Lukoil Neftochim refinery has resumed operations, the company said Wednesday, after it almost halted production over a licensing row. [via YahooNews] More >>

LUKoil Faces Investigation in Bulgaria [Aug 03, 2011] SOFIA ? Bulgaria's anti-monopoly commission has begun an investigation into the local trading arm of LUKoil over suspected abuse of a dominant market position and possible cartel agreements. [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil's Bulgaria refinery resumes operations [Aug 03, 2011] People walk in front of the Lukoil Neftochim Headquarters in Sofia. Bulgaria's Lukoil Neftochim refinery has resumed operations, the company said Wednesday, after it almost halted production over a ... [via YahooNews] More >>

Lukoil refinery in Bulgaria resumes processing [Aug 02, 2011] The Bulgarian refinery of Russian oil giant Lukoil says it is resuming operations after its permits for storing fuel were revoked last week in a tax dispute with the government. [via YahooNews] More >>

Austrian Media Warn Bulgaria Against Playing Games with Russian Oil Giant [Aug 02, 2011] Austrian press reports of the Lukoil saga in Bulgaria have emphasized the superiority of the energy giant, at the same time advising the country to be careful about its energy relations. "Lukoil has shamed the Bulgarian government", Der Standard wrote, while Wirtschaftsblatt cautioned that Bulgaria was "playing with fire". "A court decision tilted the balance in favor of the Russian monopoly ... [via YahooNews] More >>