Alexander Pulev criticizes former Lukoil manager over fuel pricing

Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Alexander Pulev has criticized former Lukoil special manager Rumen Spevov, accusing him of pursuing a ‘pseudo-social policy’ regarding fuel prices. Pulev stated that Spevov’s pricing tactics were unsustainable and led the refinery toward a serious liquidity crisis, a view he noted was supported by the Commission for Protection of Competition.

Pulev contrasted Spevov’s management with the current special manager, Evgeni Simeonov. He defended Simeonov’s approach, asserting that the current administration maintains competitive fuel prices—keeping Bulgaria among the lowest in the EU—without jeopardizing the refinery’s financial stability or long-term viability.

While acknowledging that Bulgaria currently enjoys low fuel prices, Pulev described this as a ‘half victory’ because low nominal prices do not offset the low purchasing power of Bulgarian households compared to other European nations.