Bulgaria has agreed to support the 21st package of EU sanctions against Russia after Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, Lukoil founder Vagit Alekperov and the head of a company supplying components for the Sofia Metro were removed from the list. Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova-Chamova stated that these changes had enabled the country to support the package, which is currently still being agreed upon by EU member states.
Briefly about the main points
- Bulgaria has agreed to support the EU’s 21st package of sanctions against Russia.
- Patriarch Kirill and Vagit Alekperov have been removed from the list.
- The head of the Sofia Metro company has also been arrested.
- Greece and Austria have reservations about the package.
- The Bulgarian minister plans to discuss energy support for Ukraine.
Bulgaria’s position and changes to the sanctions list
Bulgarian Minister for Foreign Affairs Velyslava Petrova-Chamova stated that the country was prepared to support the EU’s 21st package of sanctions against Russia. This became possible after the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church was removed from the list Cyril, founder of the oil company “Lukoil” Vagita Alekperova, as well as the head of the company that supplies components for the Sofia Metro.
According to Petrova-Chamova, taking the Bulgarian position into account was key to securing support for the package. She emphasised that defending national interests does not lead to isolation, but rather enables objectives to be achieved through reasoned argument.
Status of the approval of the 21st package of sanctions in the EU
Currently The 21st round of sanctions The EU’s stance on Russia has not yet been finalised. A decision requires the unanimous agreement of all member states. Some countries, notably Greece and Austria, have reservations: Greece regarding the energy sector, and Austria regarding the financial sector.
Petrova-Chamova expressed the hope that a compromise would soon be reached and the package would be adopted. She noted that the next steps would depend on the countries’ ability to find a common solution with the European Commission.
The content and objectives of the 21st package of sanctions
The 21st package of EU sanctions, presented by the European Commission on 9 June, is aimed at banks, arms manufacturers, oil traders, oil refineries and cryptocurrency operators in third countries. The measures include a temporary freeze on the price cap for Russian oil and the identification of entities that Moscow is using to circumvent the restrictions.
The package also includes new measures to prevent Russia from generating revenue through alternative channels, thereby enabling greater financial pressure to be brought to bear on the Russian economy.
Bulgaria’s plans to support Ukraine
The Bulgarian Minister for Foreign Affairs has announced that she plans to visit Ukraine on 15 July to discuss energy support. She emphasised the importance of energy security for Ukraine as winter approaches.
Bulgaria, as a gas transit country, intends to strengthen its cooperation with Ukraine in the energy sector, which could become one of the key areas of support for Kyiv.
Impact on the subsequent adoption of sanctions
The removal of certain individuals from the sanctions list demonstrates that the stance of individual countries can have a significant impact on the final form of EU sanctions packages. It also highlights the difficulty of reaching a consensus on issues that affect the national interests of Member States.
In future, this practice may become more widespread, as the EU’s sanctions policy increasingly takes into account the specific domestic political and economic circumstances of each country.
