Bulgarian Environmentalists from the "Clean Sea" organization rallied Thursday against the planned Burgas-Alexandoupolis Oil Pipeline.

"For us, the issue is economic and environmental, no a political one. We are sensible people who want to protect the lives and business of the people living the Black Sea Municipalities", said Nikolay Nikolov from the Clean Sea organization at the rally.

The eco-activists have declared themselves against the transportation and unloading of oil in the Gulf of Burgas.

Their rally met representatives of the project company set up for the construction of the planned oil pipeline connecting Bulgaria's Burgas on the Black Sea, and Greece's Alexandroupolis on the Aegean circumventing the Bosphorus.

The Clean Sea organization fears an environmental disaster resulting from an oil leak could destroy the lucrative tourism industry along Bulgaria's southern Black Sea coast. It has submitted a letter to Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for the Environment, asking him to intervene in the planned oil pipeline construction.

The eco-activists claim they would be present at any place where the fate of the Burgas Gulf and the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast is discussed and decided.

Bulgaria, Greece and Russia agreed to build the pipeline between Burgas and Alexandroupolis, taking Caspian oil to the Mediterranean skirting the congested Bosphorus, in 2007 after more than a decade of intermittent talks.

The agreement for the company which will construct the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil transit pipeline was signed by Bulgaria during Russian President Putin's visit to Bulgaria in 2008. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012. Russia owns 51% of the consortium, while Bulgaria and Greece hold 24,5% each.

The 280-kilometer pipeline, with 166 kilometers passing through Bulgaria, is planned to have an initial annual capacity of 35 million tonnes, which could be later expanded to 50 million tonnes. Its costs are estimated at up to USD 900 M.

The citizens of Burgas, Sozopol, and Pomorie have voted overwhelmingly against the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline in local referendums.