Massive fines for Lukoil
Russian oil giant Lukoil has been handed another fine totalling almost BGN 200 million just weeks after it was fined BGN 70 million over another violation.
Many of the violations are well known to the regulator, the Bulgarian Commission for Competition Protection (CPC), and it is unclear why Lukoil was not sanctioned earlier.
The fines are for having a monopoly over the market and for storing motor fuels by not providing access to importers and producers of motor fuels in tax warehouses, limiting imports by sea and for blocking tax warehouses connected to the Rosenets port terminal and "Petrol - Varna'' port terminal.
Lukoil is also penalised for not providing access to the oil pipelines of the fuel transportation group to other producers and importers, which may limit the import of motor fuels into the country.
Targeted Easter help for pensioners
The caretaker cabinet will give Easter bonuses to the elderly in spite of recent poor figures for the budget deficit. The supplement, estimated to cost BGN 72 million, will come out of last year's funds and will not affect the current deficit.
The bonuses will only go to pensioners whose monthly payments are below the poverty line of BGN 504. Prime Minister Galab Donev said that about one million people are eligible, or approximately half of the country's pensioners, a total of about 2 million people.
Big factories mean big money
Bulgaria's highest salaries last year were found in small municipalities with large employers.
The highest average gross monthly was in the municipality of Chelopech (BGN 2,930). In second place was Kozloduy municipality (BGN 2,431), the site of the nuclear plant, followed by Pirdop municipality (BGN 2,205) and Sofia municipality (BGN 2,144). Chelopech and Pirdop's economies depend fully on mining and processing industry.
In fifth position is the Radnevo energy center (BGN 2,040), and the top 10 is completed by Galabovo (BGN 1,985), Devnya (BGN 1,947), Panagyurishte (BGN 1,860), Elin Pelin (BGN 1,745) and Bozhurishte (BGN 1,717)
Massive fines for Lukoil
Russian oil giant Lukoil has been handed another fine totalling almost BGN 200 million just weeks after it was fined BGN 70 million over another violation.
