Bulgaria in Spotlight for Retailing Low Quality Motor Oil?

Filling up the tank doesn’t usually require thought as to whether or not petrol meets industry standards. As a rule of thumb, it’s generally assumed what comes out the bowser is worth every penny. For Bulgarians, this peace of mind is no longer taken for granted.

Earlier this month, national authorities carried out a major inspection into 50 gas stations across the country. As revealed by the Ministry of Interior, Bulgarian gas pumps were housing 29,000 litres of suspected low quality fuel. To prevent its sale, the ministry shut down stations across the nation.

Sophia fronts ersatz fuel investigation

Investigations are currently taking place in Sophia, the country’s capital city. Fifteen other regional centres are also reconnoitring the case, with a host of officials fronting the movement. This includes persons from the Ministry of Interior, National Revenue Agency (NAP), the national customs agency, State Agency for Metrological and Technical Surveillance and the State Agency for National Security (DANS). Sophia based news agency Novinite is leading the investigation, with unsolicited coverage from all angles.

According to officials, the nationwide shutdown was designed to detect irregularities at key fuel retailing points. As well as the sale of low quality fuel agents also targeted issues such as VAT evasion.

Bulgaria’s botched fuel reputation botched

The investigation isn’t the only fuel related scandal to rock Bulgaria, with the Balkan nation recently accused of selling fuel produced by ISIS. In late 2015 local media reported that fuel produced by the terror group was being sold across the country, backing up claims with relevant satellite imagery. As well as being sold to Bulgarian motorists there were also claims that the country was a key supply route to the wider European Union. Last month, the Commission for Protection of Competition also launched an investigation into possible cartel agreements designed to fix the prices of petrol and diesel.

Today, the petroleum industry relies exclusively on the aptitude of QC laboratories to ensure that manufactured products are meeting international quality standards. Of course, regulation isn’t watertight, as illustrated by the latest Bulgarian scandal. For more insight into how the industry regulates standards, ‘A World First – Verification of Petroleum Analysers According to ISO-Standards’ is an interesting analytical piece. It looks at the work of European Lab Services (ELS), and its 25 years of experience keeping quality in check through the verification of method and equipment.

Image via Flickr Creative Commons. Photo credits: Jen