Protests in Bulgaria against Bourgas-Alexandropolis pipeline

"By July next year it will be clear whether Bourgas-Alexandropolis oil pipе-line is profitable for Bulgaria". This statement had been made on a press conference by representatives of the "Trans-Balkan Pipeline" company. The briefing was initiated a little after the collapse of the presentation of the company due to protests. Protesters attacked representatives of the company, which is behind the project "Bourgas-Alexandropolis". According to schedule on 12 November 2008 at 14:00 o'clock the vice-minister of Public works Kalin Rogachev, representatives of the trans-national company "Trans-Balkan Pipeline" and expert ecologists were supposed to present the project to the media as well as the guarantees for the observation of the environmental standards during the project construction and exploitation. However few hundred protesters from Bourgas manage to bring the presentation to breakdown. They were standing in front of hotel "Bulgaria" and were chanting: "Traitors", "Mafia", "Out of Bourgas", "Go away". They were waving flags and singing songs. When the delegation of the meeting came, part of the protesters broke inside the conference hall inside hotel "Bulgaria" and started shouting against Kalin Rogachev. Тhe protesters caused chaos and turmoil and in a short bit the a decision was taken to cancel the meeting.

The pre-project construction research will start prior to July 2009. 7 to 11 million euros will be spent for consulting services during that period, "Trans-Balkan Pipeline" stated later during the briefing. The company pointed out that it is not yet clear whether the the pipeline will be precisely situated. This will be made clear in the future, as well as the technologies for unloading (new port or using the buoy-system). The vice-minister Kalin Rogachev stated, during the press conference, that the Bulgarian state is not 100% committed to realize the project. Nevertheless it is committed to clear and transparent process. As for the protests, which lead to the cancellation of the presentation, Rogachev said that separate organizations should delegate individual representatives in order to avoid similar situations from now on. He added that the details on the oil pipe-line project will be elaborated and discussed further, where they will listen to positive and negative opinions.

The oil pipe-line project Bourgas-Alexandropolis costs more than 1 billion euro. It will be used to transport Russian oil to terminals in the Mediterranean. In this way the Bosporus and the Dardanelles will be avoided. The owner will be an international project company. Russia will own 51% of the capital and Bulgaria and Greece 24,5% each. If built the pipeline will transport between 35 and 50 million crude oil per annum.

51% of the share capital of the company will be for the Russian member of the project - ОСО "Трубопроводньй Консорциум "Бургас - Александруполис", in which ОАО "АК Транснефт", ОАО "ВС Роснефть" and ОАО "Газпром нефть" take part.

24,5% of the shares will be held by the bulgarian member in the project - Project company Bourgas-Alexandropolis BG). Thats a consortsium between the state-owned companies – Bulgargaz holding and (Technoexportstroi). The Greek part would own 24,5% as well - 23,5% by the "Hellenic Petroleum and "Traki" and 1% the Greek republic.

Bulgaria.Indymedia