Bulgaria aims to have a Rheinmetall plant built within 30 months, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Poulev said in a television interview on Sunday.
Poulev said he had held a highly constructive series of meetings with Rheinmetall representatives on the main parameters of the strategically important deal for Bulgaria. The next step was to safeguard Bulgaria’s interests through full technology transfer to modernize its defence industry projects and capabilities, an approach Rheinmetall fully understood, he said.
The choice of site remained subject to further negotiations and inspections. Bulgaria had proposed sites it believed met the requirements. “The previously proposed sites lacked provision for electricity, water and the basic infrastructure needed to accommodate a proper gunpowder plant. Those prerequisites were not in place, or providing them would have taken years,” Poulev said. Bulgaria did not have years to spare and had set a target of 30 months for the plant to become a reality, he added.
On fuel prices, Poulev forecast at least another six to 12 months of uncertainty even after the conflict between the United States and Iran ended, given the destruction of much of the energy production infrastructure. He said he could make no commitments on behalf of the Bulgarian government about geopolitical factors, but reiterated its commitment to Bulgarian consumers, guaranteeing that the country would have the lowest fuel prices in Europe.
Geopolitical developments were beyond the control of Bulgaria and its government, Poulev said. He attributed the assessment that the world was experiencing the most severe energy crisis in human history to the International Energy Agency, saying this was neither his own assessment nor an exaggeration. The government could not bear responsibility for those developments, but was actively monitoring the situation around the clock and introducing justified measures coordinated with European partners and consistent with market principles, he said.
The entire EUR 300 million package of measures was intended to support all Bulgarian consumers, Poulev said. It included a broad range of graduated measures, some targeted at the poorest and most vulnerable people rather than indiscriminate cash payments. Apart from the EUR 30 million earmarked for vulnerable groups, the remaining measures were already in place and would benefit all Bulgarian consumers, he said. The government was monitoring the situation around the clock and was ready to consider further options and introduce them swiftly and effectively as global trends evolved. Asked whether the measures could be updated, Poulev said this was not only possible but an established government policy.
Asked whether Bulgaria risked running out of fuel, Poulev said Lukoil was being managed well and professionally. It was now operating at almost 100% capacity thanks to sound financial management and transparent leadership under special commercial administrator Evgeni Simeonov, an industry expert with a proven track record, he added.
Under the previous special commercial administrator, the refinery had operated at around 40% capacity and faced a serious liquidity crisis, Poulev said. Had that management model continued for another few months, the company could have become insolvent. He said he was eagerly awaiting the Commission for Protection of Competition’s investigation into how prices were formed, adding that he had spoken to the special commercial administrator, who would cooperate fully.
Commenting on a report in The New York Times about a possible deal involving Lukoil’s international assets, Poulev said Bulgaria had to respect ownership rights while also acting responsibly towards its strategic partners: the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Asked whether a state purchase of Lukoil remained an option, Poulev said Bulgaria, as an EU Member State in the 21st century, could not nationalize foreign assets, regardless of whether their owners were Russian, American or British.
Poulev also discussed the methodology for determining fair prices, explaining that fair value did not mean a fixed price cap imposed by regulators. He urged an end to speculation, saying there were many misleading suggestions surrounding the issue. Fair value meant a recommended price based on objective information, he explained.
Poulev said the Care Basket initiative was meeting its requirements, thanking the retail chains that had voluntarily joined and offered a substantial range of essential goods at discounts of 15% to 60%. However, he had expected them to demonstrate the social responsibility they had pledged to the government by providing a separate, clearly visible display with clearly marked products. He would continue talks with the chains to persuade them to give greater prominence to the joint policy and initiative with the government. He added that he and other relevant ministers had received troubling reports that some retail chains were putting pressure on the Bulgarian producers supplying those goods.
On the proposed windfall tax, Poulev said he had assured International Monetary Fund representatives that this was a temporary measure targeting specific sectors and applying only to so-called excess profits, rather than an additional administrative or tax burden on industry as a whole.
Poulev said he was in regular contact with foreign investors, whose attitude towards Bulgaria was extremely positive. Above all, they saw no political risk, he said. Bulgaria had been through a serious political crisis, and political risk was the main factor that could discourage and deter foreign investors, who wanted predictability and stability, he added.
Kash Patel Gets Engaged to ‘Country Music Sensation’ Girlfriend Alexis Wilkins 2026
Deputy PM Poulev Sets 30-Month Target for Rheinmetall Plant in Bulgaria 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-04 18:58:00
Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news. Bulgaria news, Bulgarian news, news from Bulgaria, latest news Bulgaria, breaking news Bulgaria, Bulgaria today, Bulgarian politics, Bulgarian government. Bulgarian economy, Bulgarian business, Bulgarian society, Bulgarian culture, Bulgarian tourism, Bulgarian sports, Bulgarian media, Bulgarian parliament. Sofia news, Plovdiv news, Varna news, Burgas news, Ruse news, Stara Zagora news, Pleven news, Sliven news. Dobrich news, Shumen news, Pernik news, Haskovo news, Yambol news, Pazardzhik news, Blagoevgrad news, Veliko Tarnovo news. Vratsa news, Gabrovo news, Asenovgrad news, Vidin news, Bulgarian local news, Bulgaria current affairs, Bulgaria breaking news, Bulgaria headlines. Balkan news, Southeast Europe news, Bulgarian international news, Bulgaria world news, Bulgarian elections, Bulgaria events, Bulgaria analysis, Bulgaria updates.Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law.
Kash Patel Gets Engaged to ‘Country Music Sensation’ Girlfriend Alexis Wilkins 2026
BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-04 18:58:00
