Delyan Dobrev
Делян Добрев
Member of the National Assembly
Assumed office
15 April 2021
Constituency29th MMC - Haskovo
In office
21 May 2013 – 10 April 2019
Constituency14th MMC - Pernik (2013-2014)
29th MMC - Haskovo (2014-2019)
In office
14 July 2009 – 19 May 2011
Constituency29th MMC - Haskovo
Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism
In office
21 March 2012 – 13 March 2013
Prime MinisterBoyko Borisov
Preceded byTraycho Traykov
Succeeded byAsen Vasilev
Deputy Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism
In office
19 May 2011 – 21 March 2012
Prime MinisterBoyko Borisov
MinisterTraycho Traykov
Personal details
Born (1978-05-14) 14 May 1978 (age 45)
Haskovo, Bulgaria
Political partyGERB
Alma materWesleyan University (BEc)
University of National and World Economy (MEc)
Occupation

Delyan Dobrev (born 1978 in Haskovo) is a Bulgarian politician and member of the National Assembly (Bulgaria). He was the Deputy Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Energy under Traycho Traykov, succeeding him as Minister in March 2012 following an energy crisis in the country which included the termination of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant project.[1][2]

Dobrev is in his ninth term as an MP from Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, representing Haskovo region.[3] He has consistently promoted legislation for energy independence. As of July 2023, he is the Chairman of the Committee on Energy in the National Assembly.[4] Dobrev is also a member of the Executive Committee of the GERB party.[5]

In November 2023, Dobrev held a lecture at the Atlantic Council in Washington DC, where he outlined the various ways in which Russian influence has permeated politics in Eastern Europe.[6] Getting rid of such influences means cutting off Russian suppliers in the energy and military equipment sectors.[7]

Education

Dobrev graduated in economics in 2002 from Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut in the United States. He then specialised [sic] in accounting and finance at the London School of Economics in 2005-2006.[8]

Ban on Russian nuclear technology

Dobrev is a vocal opponent of the use of Russian nuclear technology in Bulgaria and while in government in 2012, along with Minister of Finance Simeon Dyankov, adopted a ban on such technology, including the termination of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant.[9] Prime Minister Boyko Borisov listed this ban among the main successes of his first government.[10] In July 2023, Dobrev initiated a sale of the unused Russian nuclear equipment to Ukraine, through a resolution in parliament.[11]

“After the start of the war in Ukraine, building a power plant with that equipment became [politically] impossible in Bulgaria. Ukraine needs the equipment that we have. It is a perfect match.”

Ban on import of Russian oil

At Dobrev's initiative, in July 2023 and again in November 2023 the National Assembly (Bulgaria) started a process of imposing a ban on Russian oil imports to the Lukoil refinery near Burgas.[12] Taking advantage of an exemption to the EU’s Russian oil ban, Bulgaria allowed millions of barrels of Russian oil to reach the Russian-owned refinery, which then exported various refined fuels abroad including to EU countries, according to an investigation by the NGO Global Witness, the think tanks Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria) and Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and independent reporting by Politico.[13]

"At the very least they should tighten the sanctions and tighten the derogation regime. But the most optimal thing to do is just to get rid of this derogation," said Delyan Dobrev.

[14]

Off-shore exploration

France’s TotalEnergies energy company was granted an oil and gas exploration licence in 2012 to prospect for fossil fuels in Bulgaria’s economic area of the Black Sea. TotalEnergies won the tender in competition with ExxonMobil and United Kingdom’s Melrose Resources, which had - as of 2012 - three exploration licences for areas of Bulgaria’s Black Sea shelf.[15]

"Gas extracted locally costs about 40 per cent lower than imports. This is our hope for diversification [of energy sources],” Dobrev said.

In 2023, the National Assembly (Bulgaria) decided to negotiate the option for the state to take a 20% stake in the consortium for the offshore drilling following the departure of one of the original partners.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Bulgarian Premier Names Dobrev as Economy, Energy Minister". Businessweek.com. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  2. ^ "Bulgaria's blame game over energy policy, Qatar forum fiasco". Sofia Echo. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  3. ^ Dobrev comments current issues around NPP Kozloduy
  4. ^ Dobrev's page on the parliament website
  5. ^ "Members of the GERB Executive Committee". GERB. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Center hosts Delyan Dobrev for roundtable on energy security and policies in Eastern Europe". Atlantic Council. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Two ways towards energy security and clean politics in Eastern Europe". Twitter. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  8. ^ Delyan Dobrev as New Economy Energy and Tourism Minister Archived 2012-11-10 at the Wayback Machine, The Sofia Echo, by The Echo staff. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  9. ^ "Дянков: Проектът "Белене" трябваше да бъде прекратен по-рано" (in Bulgarian). Investor.bg. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  10. ^ "Борисов пак омъгли съдбата на АЕЦ "Белене"" (in Bulgarian). Mediapool. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Ukraine Nears Nuclear Deal With Bulgaria in Fresh Blow for Russian Influence". Wall Street Journal. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Партиите, подкрепящи кабинета и ДПС внесоха общо предложение за прекратяване на дерогацията" (in Bulgarian). Dnevnik.bg. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Putin rakes in extra €1B for his war chest via Bulgaria sanctions loophole". Politico. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Putin rakes in extra €1B for his war chest via Bulgaria sanctions loophole". Politico. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  15. ^ "France's Total granted oil, gas exploration licence in Bulgaria". 3 E News. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. ^ "The Energy Commission tasked Minister Radev with negotiating the option for BEH to take a 20% stake in the consortium for the "Khan Asparuh" Block". 3 E News. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
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