Bulgaria and Greece on Tuesday failed to agree on a 1.3-billion-dollar pipeline deal to transport Russian oil from Burgas to Alexandroupolis. Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov voiced environmental concerns, saying the project could negatively impact Burgas, a Black Sea tourist resort in his country, dpa reported. "The environment is dear to us," Borisov said after a joint cabinet meeting in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, during which he was joined by his Greek counterpart Giorgos Papandreou to discuss joint defence, economy and energy projects. The Bulgarian tourist industry is largely against the project because of concerns about possible oil spills during the transport to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. Papandreou reiterated Greece's strong commitment to the project. He said his country cares about its environmental impact, but would wait for the expert assessment of the risks.
