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Bulgaria refuses to build oil pipeline that Russia hopes for

15 November 2010 11:18 (UTC +04:00)

In an interview published on Monday, Borisov said the project will not be carried out.
"Yes (Burgas-Alexandroupolis stops)," he said.

Russia and Bulgaria signed a deal on construction of Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline early in 2008. The previous cabinet largely ignored concerns and stressed that the oil link, estimated to cost over 1.0 billion euros ($1.37 billion) and pump up to 50 million tonnes of crude a year, was of strategic importance and would bring Bulgaria closer to becoming a major energy hub. But the present government of Bulgaria does not believe that the project will be economically beneficial â€“ as only Russian oil will be delivered through the pipeline.

Borisov has repeatedly said Bulgaria would most likely abandon the 300-km pipeline from the Black Sea port of Burgas to Alexandroupolis on the Aegean Sea over environmental risks and a lack of adequate economic benefits. Last week, Sofia rejected the environmental impact assessment of the project, saying it did not give details how a possible oil spill would affect fishing and tourism and the measures to counter any such spills did not guarantee they would not cause irreversible damage to the environment and the bay.
The efforts of the Russian side failed to persuade Bulgaria of the importance of the pipeline. Two days ago on November 13, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited Bulgaria, but Bulgarian Prime Minister did not say the project would be annulled, he said it would be redeveloped from environmental aspect. Bulgarian Prime Minister publicized his real plans related to the pipeline after Russian Prime Minister left.