Bulgaria: Gazprom's Gas Stations Transition to AVIA Under New Ownership

In Bulgaria, Uni Energi, the company behind the Avia gas station network, has submitted a request to the Commission for Protection of Competition to acquire Gazprom’s assets in the country. If approved, this acquisition would include 23 active gas stations, 13 parcels of land intended for new facility construction, and a light fuel storage site located in Kostinbrod. Ivaylo Konstantinov, known as the former owner of the bus company Union Ivkoni, holds the majority stake in Uni Energi.

Back in July 2024, it became public that NIS, a Serbian-registered oil and gas company owning the Gazprom-branded stations in Bulgaria, had decided to write off its subsidiary, NIS Petrol Bulgaria. This Russian-controlled company cited persistent operational challenges within the network as the reason for the sale.

Currently, Avia manages 11 gas stations across Bulgaria. According to the Trade Register, Uni Energy reported revenues of 15.7 million leva and net profits of 302,000 leva for the year 2023. Following the Competition Commission’s approval, it is expected that the acquired Gazprom stations will be rebranded to carry the Avia name.

Additionally, on June 13, 2024, Ivaylo Konstantinov ceased to be the sole owner of Uni Energi. As per a decision from an extraordinary general meeting held on June 7, “Vip Station” acquired a 45% stake in the company for 450,000 BGN (230,000 EUR). The new shareholder is Ranko Klacar, a Montenegrin national.