Bulgaria’s Parliament scraps temporary ban on fuel exports
In a vote on September 23, Bulgaria’s National Assembly repealed an October 31 2025 decision to introduce a temporary measure to restrict the export and intra-community supplies of petroleum products to other EU member states.
Deputy Economy Minister Mihaela Karadimova told the House : “All risks for the adoption of the measure have been overcome and its continuation creates administrative obstacles, hinders the work of Lukoil Neftochim and it cannot fulfill contracts with counterparties.
“There is no shortage. The necessary quantities of fuel are available,” Karadimova said.
“The measure is an exception to the principle of the smooth movement of goods,” she said.
Economist Martin Dimitov, an MP for opposition Democratic Bulgaria, said: “You are taking a risky move without analysis, with the risk of fuel prices rising even more.
“What could you have done: maintain the ban and allow exports with a decision by the National Revenue Agency. The second option: allow exports only to the EU,” Dimitrov said.
Alexander Ivanov, an MP for the largest opposition group GERB-UDF, said : “Have you considered the amount of fuel for the Bulgarian market, because we see that you are not coping with the prices”.
“There is no analysis of whether the necessary quantities will be provided for the market. I call on the state to do what is necessary so that we do not have a rise in fuel prices,” Ivanov said.
Former finance minister Assen Vassilev, of opposition We Continue the Change, said: “It’s not good for Bulgarian citizens. It’s good for those who produce diesel and will export it. You are taking the side of the oligarchy and big capital. And this will lead to an increase in the price of the fuel pump. How will it lead to a decrease?”
As The Sofia Globe reported earlier, Bulgaria had the highest increase on annual basis in fuel prices in the European Union in August 2026, at 34.5 per cent, EU statistics agency Eurostat said on September 22.
n July 2026, the price of fuels and lubricants for personal transport in Bulgaria were 22.2 per cent higher than they had been in July 2025, and this was the third-highest increase in the European Union, Eurostat said on August 21.
In June 2026, Bulgaria had the highest increase on an annual basis of the price of fuel among European Union countries, Eurostat said on July 22.
Bulgaria had the highest increase on an annual basis in fuel prices in the European Union in May 2026, at 33.9 per cent, Eurostat said on June 22.
The price of fuel in Bulgaria in April 2026 was 27.8 per cent higher than in April 2025, according to Eurostat. This was the fifth-highest increase among EU countries.
As of September 23, the price of a litre of A95 petrol in Bulgaria averaged 1.69 euro and that of a litre of diesel 1.95 euro, according to the fuelo.net website. On February 27 2026, before the beginning of the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, A95 petrol in Bulgaria cost an average 1.26 euro a litre and diesel an average 1.29 euro a litre, according to the website.
(Photo: Hippopx)
