SOFIA, March 24, 2026 — Bulgaria’s competition authority has discussed the findings of recent sector inquiries in key markets with the country’s vice president, highlighting potential policy measures to strengthen competition amid global economic pressures.
The leadership of the Commission for Protection of Competition met with Vice President Iliana Yotova to review progress on the regulator’s market studies covering the food, pharmaceutical and environmental product-fee sectors.
According to CPC chairman Rosen Karadimov, sector inquiries are a key regulatory tool for identifying structural problems, barriers to entry and market concentration issues. The authority has already submitted recommendations to the executive and legislative branches based on its analysis of the food sector aimed at improving competition and protecting both producers and consumers.
The meeting also focused on potential policy responses to the economic effects of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly in energy markets.
Officials discussed the CPC’s recommendations to the Bulgarian government and to the special administrator overseeing companies within the Lukoil group in Bulgaria regarding developments in the fuel market.
Karadimov said the authority is continuing to monitor wholesale fuel market behaviour as part of an ongoing investigation involving Lukoil group companies, including whether they may be abusing a dominant market position.
While the regulator does not have direct authority over retail fuel prices, preliminary data suggests that price differences across cities do not indicate coordinated behaviour among fuel retailers. However, early evidence points to a rapid increase in wholesale fuel prices.
The CPC expects to receive additional data from Lukoil in the coming days to further assess wholesale pricing trends.
The authority has also requested information from other European competition agencies on measures taken in their jurisdictions to address fuel market developments in light of the geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
Source: https://www.cpc.bg/news-488
