Bulgarian prices for fuels and lubricants for personal vehicles rose 26% year on year in June, the largest annual increase in the European Union, Eurostat data published on July 22 showed.

The increase ran at nearly double the EU average of 13.7% and comes as the bloc absorbs the energy market disruption from the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, which began in February. Bulgaria's exposure is sharpened by its reliance on the Burgas refinery, formerly Russian-owned, and by household fuel spending that accounts for a larger share of income than in western member states.

The June figure marks a slowdown from 33.9% in May and 27.8% in April.

Fuel and lubricant prices rose in every member state against June 2025, though more slowly than in May, when four countries recorded annual gains above 30%.

Lithuania followed Bulgaria at 23.5%, ahead of Romania on 23.1%, Finland on 22% and Luxembourg on 20.7%. Hungary posted the smallest annual increase at 2.3%, followed by Poland at 5.8%. Increases elsewhere ranged from 7.9% in Spain to 18.6% in Cyprus.

Prices fell across the bloc on a monthly basis in June amid expectations of a breakthrough in talks between Iran and the US, which subsequently collapsed. Diesel fell 6.4% from May after a 5.8% decline the previous month, while petrol dropped 4.2% having edged up 0.8% in May.

Diesel prices declined in every member state month on month. The steepest falls came in Czechia at 11.3%, Poland at 9.7% and Bulgaria at 9.4%. The smallest were in Hungary at 0.6%, Italy at 1.4% and Slovenia at 1.6%.

Cyprus and Italy were the only member states to record monthly petrol price increases, at 0.7% and 0.5%. Sweden led the declines with a 7.8% fall, ahead of Belgium on 7% and Poland on 6.6%.

EU-wide annual increases have moderated from 20.8% in April and 20.7% in May.