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Lukoil companies fined in Bulgaria for abusing dominant market position

Lukoil Bulgaria and Lukoil Neftochim Burgas consider the CPC decision unfounded and plan to appeal against it in court

SOFIA, April 5. /TASS/. The Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) fined Lukoil Bulgaria and Lukoil Neftochim Burgas more than 195 million leva (about 87.5 mln euros) for abusing their dominant position on the Bulgarian market. The commission published the decision on its website on Wednesday.

"The CPC has imposed a general property penalty in the amount of 195,136,175 leva for the violation committed by Lukoil Bulgaria and Lukoil Neftochim Burgas, for abusing their dominant position in the gasoline storage market by denying access to exporters and producers of motor fuel to their warehouses and transport infrastructure," the statement says.

Lukoil Bulgaria and Lukoil Neftochim Burgas consider the CPC decision unfounded and plan to appeal against it in court.

"Lukoil considers the decision of the CPC ungrounded, unsubstantiated and contrary to European practice. The company strictly complies with the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Union and expects that this will be unequivocally confirmed in the course of judicial proceedings," the official statement says.

In February, the Bulgarian authorities fined Lukoil Bulgaria 68 million leva (about 34 million euros) for violating competition law by abusing its dominant position through price pressure on competitors in the country's wholesale fuel trade. The company expressed its disagreement with the CPC decision and appealed it in court.

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Bulgaria Lukoil

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