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The Bulgarian Parliament has approved a temporary ban on the export and intra-European Union supply of diesel and aviation fuel, citing the need to safeguard national energy security. The measure passed on Friday with 135 votes in favor, four against and 42 abstentions.
The legislation, proposed by deputies from GERB, DPS-New Beginning, BSP-United Left and There Is Such a People, follows U.S. sanctions targeting the Russian company Lukoil, which operates Bulgaria’s Burgas refinery.
Exceptions to the ban include fuel for domestic and foreign vessels and aircraft, as well as deliveries to the armed forces of EU and NATO member states, according to BTA News Agency. Enforcement will be managed by the Customs Agency and the National Revenue Agency, with provisions for special export authorizations subject to parliamentary oversight.
Lawmakers stressed that Bulgaria currently holds sufficient fuel reserves, covering six months of consumption.
The State Agency for State Reserves and Wartime Stocks has been instructed to audit fuel reserves by Nov. 7. Authorities have indicated that the ban is temporary and may be adjusted depending on market conditions and national security needs.
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