Bulgaria blocked EU sanctions on Russia to protect Sofia metro operations

Bulgaria successfully blocked the European Union's latest sanctions package against Russia, demanding the removal of a Russian businessman whose company supplies essential equipment for Sofia's metro system. Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed that Bulgaria was prepared to veto the entire 21st sanctions package if its demand was not met.

Radev stated that the individual in question was removed from the list after Bulgaria insisted on the exclusion. He explained that the businessman has ties to the provision of equipment and services crucial for the safe operation of the Bulgarian capital's underground transport. Bulgarian media identified the individual as Iskander Mahmudov, the majority owner of Russia's Transmashholding, whose subsidiary Metrovagonmash has supplied trains to the Sofia metro since 2006.

Bulgarian authorities argued that keeping Mahmudov on the sanctions list could jeopardize the supply of spare parts and the maintenance of the metro infrastructure. This is not the first time Bulgaria has lobbied for the removal of individuals from EU sanctions lists; they previously secured the exclusion of Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Vagit Alekperov, founder of the oil company Lukoil.

The delay in adopting the sanctions package has broader implications. European media reported that if the package is not approved promptly, the price cap on Russian oil could increase from 44 to 58 euros per barrel, potentially providing significant financial benefits to the Kremlin. The European Commission's proposed package targeted key sectors of the Russian economy.