Workers from the Lukoil oil refinery are organizing a protest in Burgas. they are demanding to keep their jobs. Traffic along Trakia motorway is blocked, with the protesters only letting public transport vehicles and ambulances through.

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The protest was triggered by GERB’s proposal to terminate Lukoil’s derogation for the import of Russian oil ahead of time, instead of 12 months from now, as voted by the National Assembly. The protesters say they are also worried by rumours of the possible sale of the oil refinery, and threaten to take their protest to the centre of Sofia.

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From Brussels, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said the protesters were right to worry about the derogation.

“If we end the derogation ahead of time we shall create enormous risks, first, for the public who could see much higher fuel prices than the prices they have at the moment if there are shortages on the market, and second – for the workers are the refinery,” Nikolai Denkov said.