Petkov warns of fictitious manager for Lukoil refinery

Former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov accused the current Bulgarian leadership of coordinating with Moscow to install a proxy administrator at the Burgas refinery rather than selecting an internationally trusted management firm. The We Continue the Change co-founder outlined how legitimate oversight would require transparent international operators approved by Washington and Brussels to prevent Russian revenue flows and avoid costly arbitration proceedings against Sofia.

Petkov alleged that officials intend to appoint a figurehead controller linked to sanctioned individuals while organizing schemes to extract value from Lukoil assets through shell companies. He questioned whether Prime Minister Boyko Borisov would genuinely oppose Kremlin interests, suggesting the proposed arrangements simultaneously serve domestic political actors and Russian objectives. The former leader called for European Commission involvement in coordinating potential asset sales to reputable buyers with corruption-resistant practices.