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"Don't turn Burgas into a second Chernobyl," reads a poster, carried by citizens of the coastal town, rallying against the construction of Burgas and Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. File photo
Bulgaria's environment ministry has received an environment assessment study of the planned Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline and is expected to rule on it in a month.
Construction of the line has been on ice even after Bulgaria's government balked at the potential environmental damage that the pipeline could inflict on its resort-dotted coastline.
The cabinet has stated that its final decision on the country's participation in the project will depend on its upcoming international environmental assessment.
In the summer this year Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov unexpectedly said that his country was "giving up" on Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project.
In a dramatic twist that left all of Europe confused, Borisov retracted his statements shortly afterwards, saying that the Bulgarian government hasn't made a final decision regarding the construction of the pipeline.
After it took office in July 2009, Bulgaria's new center-right government of the GERB party made it clear it was going to reconsider the country's participation in the three large-scale energy projects - South Stream gas pipeline, Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, and Belene Nuclear Power Plant.
Three Bulgarian Black Sea municipalities - Burgas, Pomorie, and Sozopol - have voted against the pipe in local referendums over environmental concerns.
Municipalities neighboring Pomorie and nearby Burgas are also harboring fears that the pipeline could damage their lucrative tourism business, while environmental NGOs have branded the existing plans to build an oil terminal out at sea a disaster waiting to happen.
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.
The 280-kilometer pipeline, with 166 kilometers passing through Bulgaria, would 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 Pazardzhik-based battery manufacturer "Elhim-Iskra" will halt operations and begin laying off staff, affecting nearly 200 employees
In Bulgaria, fuel industry experts warn that if oil prices reach USD 100 per barrel, gasoline at the pump could exceed €1.50 per liter.
On Friday, March 6, Bulgaria will experience varying weather across its regions. In the eastern part of the country, skies will remain mostly cloudy, with light rain possible in some areas during the afternoon
In Razlog, medical staff faced two unusual cases within a single week, where broken limbs of young children were immobilized using cardboard instead of proper splints.
The Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents “Future for Tourism” (OBT) has urged the authorities to ensure equal treatment of Bulgarian citizens awaiting evacuation from Dubai
Google Street View cars are back on Bulgarian roads, starting a new mapping tour that will span from March 5 until the end of October.
In Bulgaria, the overwhelming majority of complaints about high electricity bills are coming from households that rely on electricity for heating, particularly through air conditioners, the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) reported
Acting Energy Minister Traycho Traykov commented on Nova TV that the recent rise in fuel prices in Bulgaria is modest, with gasoline and diesel increasing by just three cents, reflecting crude oil quotations
Energy Minister Traycho Traykov briefed Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov that Bulgaria has received liquefied natural gas under contracts concluded before the recent escalation in the Middle East
The Consumer Protection Commission in Bulgaria has launched checks at fuel stations across the country to determine whether retail prices have risen and, if so, whether such increases are justified
The Energy and Water Regulatory Commission (EWRC) has set the price of natural gas for March 2026 at 32.60 euros per megawatt-hour, excluding access, transmission, excise, and VAT charges
By the end of 2026, Bulgaria will significantly increase its role as a regional energy hub, as the country’s gas transmission capacity from Greece is set to rise by 50%, while the interconnection with Romania will see its capacity doubled
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