Bulgaria announces Nabucco ‘object of national importance’

The Nabucco project has been named an “object of national importance” by the Government of Bulgaria at the Council of Ministers meeting today. This is a landmark decision to support an accelerated implementation process that underlines the public and strategic benefits of the Nabucco pipeline project.  
 
Managing Director of Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH Reinhard Mitschek stated: “We welcome this momentous decision by the Bulgarian Government and its renewed commitment to the Nabucco pipeline project. Nabucco is the flagship project in the southern corridor because it is the best commercial and strategic option to diversify gas supply of Bulgaria, and Europe. The ‘object of national importance’ priority status will allow rapid implementation and construction of the pipeline on Bulgarian territory.”

Following the signing and ratification of an Intergovernmental Agreement by transit countries in 2009, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers affirmed the national importance of the Nabucco project through the Bulgarian Territory Planning Act. With today’s decision the project was declared to be an “object of national importance” according to the State Property Act. This is a statute that aims to stress the priority of the project and is given to the most important investment initiatives to be realized by the state.  The designation of “object of national importance is also favorable for procedures required to obtain construction permits. This announcement is in accordance with the commitments and Intergovernmental Agreement signed by each transit country.
 
The Nabucco project continues to make strong progress in Bulgaria. In March this year, the Bulgarian Government approved the draft for the ratification of the Project Support Agreement, which is expected to be passed by Parliament shortly. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment is on-going. Public meetings have taken place with representatives of municipal and regional administrations; consultations and meetings have also taken place with representatives of the relevant non-governmental organisations.


/Today.Az/