Against the backdrop of massive anti-Russian sanctions imposed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Bulgaria fined the Russian Lukoil 100 million euros.
According to Euractiv, the relevant decision was made by the Bulgarian Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) in connection with the abuse of its dominant position by restricting access to warehouses and transport infrastructure.
The CPC investigation focused on the conduct of Lukoil Neftekhim Burgas and Lukoil Bulgaria and found that the group violated the law by preventing importers and motor fuel manufacturers from accessing their warehouses.
According to the material, Lukoil limited imports by sea, blocking warehouses associated with oil terminals and also not providing access to the group's oil product pipelines for transporting fuel to other manufacturers and importers.
The CPC found that the group is pursuing a strategy that includes several anti-competitive practices that, if applied consistently and cumulatively over more than five years, create barriers to fuel imports, eliminating them or making them economically inefficient.
As stated in the material, this allows Lukoil to maintain its leadership position in Bulgaria at the level of wholesale and retail trade.
The CPC alleges that Lukoil is abusing its dominant position under national and EU law, as restricting imports to Bulgaria could significantly impact trade patterns between EU member states.
