Oil pipeline agreement signed between Greece and Bulgaria
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held a meeting in the capital Athens for the oil pipeline to be located between the Greek city Alexandroupoli and Bulgarian city Burgas. The agreement, which was prepared after the meeting, was signed by Greek Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas and Bulgarian Energy Minister Rossen Hristov in the presence of Radev and Mitsotakis at the Maximos Palace in Athens. The security of the pipeline, which will be implemented by the Kopelouzo company, will also be provided by a joint security unit by the two countries. The pipeline, which is planned to carry 10 million tons of oil per year, has a capacity of 50 million tons.
"The energy map of Southeast Europe will change"
In a statement after the signing of the agreement, Prime Minister Mitsotakis stated that Greece and Bulgaria will have a critical importance in Europe's energy security and said, "This cooperation will continue for the benefit of our people. With this signed agreement, the energy map of Southeast Europe will change."
"It will provide strategic importance to our country"
Bulgarian President Radev said, "Bulgaria and Greece have proven themselves as the strategic centers of stability in Southeast and Central Europe. This agreement will change the energy map of the region. The Alexandroupoli-Burgas pipeline will provide strategic importance to our country. Because it will transport Russian oil to the Balkans and the Black Sea. "This agreement will also increase supply security as it eliminates long waiting times and risks for tankers crossing the Istanbul and Dardanelles Straits."
The oil pipeline project, which was designed to carry Russian oil to the Mediterranean via the Alexandroupoli Port without using the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits, came to the fore in 2007, but was canceled in 2011 due to Bulgaria's disapproval of the project. After the Russia-Ukraine War, it is planned to transport oil and natural gas from Alexandroupoli to Burgas with this project.
