The country wants to insist on a “postponement”, as is also being demanded by Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
After Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Bulgaria is now also demanding an exception to the oil embargo against Russia proposed by the EU Commission. “We will definitely insist on a postponement with the EU Commission,” said Bulgarian Energy Minister Alexandar Nikolov on Thursday. His country will do this next week, Nikolov said after a meeting of energy ministers from south-eastern Europe, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
In view of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, representatives and ministers from Romania, Greece, Turkey, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan discussed energy security cooperation and diversification in this area. The aim is to create a regional working group as part of the EU platform for energy purchasing. “We see how the energy industry is being misused as a weapon,” said Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov.
Member states have yet to agree
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that imports of Russian crude oil should be stopped with a transitional period of six months. The 27 member states still have to approve the proposal. Austria has already declared that it fully supports the EU’s sixth package of sanctions against Russia. According to EU circles, Hungary and Slovakia should be able to obtain oil until the end of 2023 through an exemption. However, Hungary has already announced opposition to the Commission’s proposals.