BOURGAS-ALEXANDROUPOLIS PROJECT COMPANY SUBMITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY

Trans Balkan Pipeline, the project company behind the Bourgas–Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, has submitted for the third time its report on the environmental impact assessment of the project to Bulgaria's Environment Ministry, Russia media reported.

The company had already presented an environmental impact study to the ministry, which was however rejected because of insufficient information. Trans Balkan Pipeline was obliged to submit the revised report by the end of March, but was later given a two-month deadline extension.

On the last day of February, the project company filed two reports on the project, one each concerning the environmental impact and the pipeline's compliance with EU regulations on Natura 2000-protected sites.

In late March, Bulgarian Environment Minister Nona Karadzhova said that the assessment of the compatibility with Natura contained the information requested, but the environmental impact needed to be revised within two months.

Earlier this week, Russia's energy minister Sergey Shmatko said the delay in the oil pipeline construction was a result of Bulgaria's failure to fulfill its commitments on the project, estimated at 7.3 million euro.

Bulgaria and Greece have equal stakes of 24.5 per cent in the Trans Balkan Pipeline project company, while Russian companies Transneft, Rosneft and Gazprom Neft control a combined stake of 51 per cent.