ATHENS, Greece, June 22 (UPI) -- Athens hasn't made any decision that would influence the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, lawmakers told the Greek Parliament.
Bulgaria in 2007 signed an agreement with Russia and Greece to build the 174-mile Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline to bypass crowded waterways near Turkey by crossing an overland route to the Aegean Sea.
Opposition lawmaker Dimitris Sioufas told lawmakers that Athens should do more to advance the pipeline for regional energy security, the Athens News Agency reports.
"The Burgas-Alexandroupolis project in the first oil pipeline in decades to be built in the European territory, which will strengthen the energy security of Western markets," he said.
In December, the Bulgarian government said the terms of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis contract wouldn't deliver an economic benefit to the country, blaming previous leaders for shortfalls. Russian officials challenged the government's claims and last week, Sofia pulled out of the project, saying it was unprofitable.
"You have historic responsibilities," Sioufas told lawmakers. "Our country, many times in the past, has taken initiatives in order to overcome differences between the Bulgarian and Russian sides. The prime minister must take initiatives now."
