Construction of Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline may be suspended

The construction of the trans-Balkan oil pipeline between Burgas and
Alexandropolis may be suspended due to the position of Bulgaria,
Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko told reporters, RIA Novosti
reports.

According to the vice-president of Transneft participating in the
project from the Russian side, Mikhail Barkov, the Bulgarian side did
not pay the construction debt, scheduled for the 15th of December. As
Barkov explained, the Greek side warned that the funding of the
project would be frozen if Bulgaria does not fulfil its financial
commitments.

Russia, Bulgaria and Greece signed an intergovernmental agreement in
2007 on building a pipeline nearly 300 kilometres long.