Gov't Allowed Start of South Stream Construction in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's former government granted South Stream the first building permit in end-July, the Regional Development Ministry's website reveals.

A document [BG] dating July 31 signed by former Regional Minister Desislava Terzieva shows the construction of a receiving terminal in the Pasha Dere area, near the Black Sea city of Varna and a compressor station.

The two facilities were given the green light despite Sofia's assurances that the project was frozen until a further decision from the EU Commission.

In the document handing out a construction permit, Terzieva points out that her ministry decided to approve "preliminary implementation" of the permit.

In her words, state and public interest would suffer if such a decision is delayed any further.

The document was signed at a time the government was already in resignation.

It could be appealed within two months.

The latest developments also come against the backdrop of last week's announcement that the Ministry of Agriculture sold 359 da of land to South Stream Bulgaria earlier in July at prices well below average market price.