LONDON/SOFIA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Bulgaria is drafting

legal changes that will allow it to seize control of sanctioned

Russian oil major Lukoil's Burgas refinery and sell it

to a new owner to protect the plant from U.S. sanctions, local

media reported.

Burgas is Bulgaria's only oil refinery, and was a key part of

Lukoil's foreign business empire, which began to unravel in

recent days after the U.S. joined Britain last month in imposing

sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies over Moscow's

war in Ukraine.

The draft legislation, first reported by Bulgarian outlet

Mediapool on Wednesday, would permit a special manager, if

appointed, to oversee the sale of the Burgas oil refinery, which

owner Lukoil would have no right to vote on or appeal

against, the reports said.

"There is a lot of logic in this, which is why today we will

submit a draft law on the special governor," public broadcaster

BNT quoted Boyko Borissov, former prime minister and leader of

the GERB party - which heads Bulgaria's coalition government -

as saying.

Appointing a special manager to take temporary operational

control of Lukoil's Bulgaria operation would "ensure energy

security, prevent a supply crisis, and proactively mitigate the

risk of future or secondary sanctions," according to Martin

Vladimirov, director of energy and climate at the Bulgaria-based

Center for the Study of Democracy.

A QUESTION OF OWNERSHIP

On October 30, Lukoil announced that global commodity trading

house Gunvor would acquire its foreign assets.

For now it remains unclear how Gunvor will manage the huge

deals, and whether it will take over each of Lukoil's foreign

assets.

Speaking to Bloomberg Television on Tuesday, Gunvor chief

executive Torbjorn Tornqvist said "there are assets perhaps we

would feel would be better preserved in other hands", but did

not elaborate.

Gunvor did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for

comment, which was sent outside European business hours.

Lukoil has been under pressure to sell the Burgas refinery due

to Western sanctions against Russia. It set a $2 billion price

tag, RIA news agency reported in January.

Bulgaria introduced the provision for a special manager for

critical infrastructure at Burgas in 2023.