Bulgarian Right Wing Demands PM to Lead War against Lukoil

Energy | August 2, 2011, Tuesday // 15:56|  views

The leaders of the two parties in the right-wing Blue Coalition - of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, Ivan Kostov (l), and of the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, Martin Dimitrov. Photo by BGNES

The leaders of Bulgaria's right-wing Blue Coalition demanded from Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, full support for the actions of the Customs Agency against Lukoil Bulgaria.

The leaders of the two parties in the Coalition - of Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, Ivan Kostov and of the Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, Martin Dimitrov, joined around the idea the latest developments in the Lukoil saga create doubts the entire story is a staged performance with the Administrative Court having a part in it.

The right-wing leaders point out the Customs Agency must appeal the Court's decision to reinstate Lukoil's license since the grounds of the rule mention losses for the company, but not losses inflicted to the State budget by the lack of control on the fuels market.

Kostov and Dimitrov further insist the Lukoil "monopoly" had a year and half to abide by the law and the said losses would incur over the company's reckless failure to react.

"The Effective State control on fuels' trade and trade of other excise goods has key importance not only for budget revenues, but for securing loyal competition and for protecting consumers' rights," the joint declaration states.

The reaction was triggered by the news Lukoil is not going to halt production after all - one day after the Sofia City Administrative Court (ACSC) stopped the preliminary execution of the Customs Agency decision on the withdrawal of Lukoil's license and close the only refinery in the country.

The crude oil processing plant in the Black Sea city of Burgas can work under the conditions preceding the punitive measure of ACSC until the Supreme Administrative Court (VAS) decides on the appeal lodged by the Customs Agency.

According to a report of the state-owned TV channel BNT, little after Lukoil was officially given the green light, the tanker terminal started servicing incoming and outgoing oil tankers.

After the refinery was stripped of its license, over the failure to install electronic measuring devices, the oil processing installations of the plant were switched into hibernation mode, which allowed it to start working at full capacity within 8 hours after the Court permit.

Although Lukoil resumes operations at full steam, customs inspectors will keep monitoring the refinery and the Rosenets Oil Terminal, as well as a number of other sites, as announced in July.

Customs units will continue to keep track of the volumes of unloaded crude oil and of final products sold by the refinery and send reports to the Customs Agency headquarters in Sofia.

The Lukoil saga drew widely divergent reactions from legal experts, with some saying that the preliminary execution ruling takes effect immediately, while others insisted that the act of the Administrative Court Sofia City did not enter into force until the 7-day appeal period expired.

According to a statement of the ACSC, "The (two) rulings have not taken effect, they can be appealed through an interim appeal filed within a seven-day period before the Supreme Administrative Court."

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!


Tags: leaders, right-wing, Blue Coalition, Democrats for Strong Bulgaria, DSB, Ivan Kostov, Union of Democratic Forces, UDF, Martin Dimitrov, Lukoil, Lukoil Neftochim, refinery, Customs Agency, Supreme Administrative Court, VAS, appeal, ACSC, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov

Back  

» Related Articles:

Search

Search