Parliament approved on first reading the agreement for the setting up of the Bourgas- Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project.

The agreement for the joint Bulgarian-Russian-Greek project came after nearly two hours of debates.

Ratification on second reading became impossible as parties in opposition decided to boycott the procedure. At least 121 MPs should be attending the session in order for the ratification procedure to take place.

Representatives of the ruling coalition said that the opposition is using the issue to gain popularity shortly before Bulgaria’s members of European Parliament (MEP) elections.

Opposition said that the project disregarded national interests and was going to lead to environmental harm.

Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) representative Mihail Mikov said that the opposition lost public trust and was trying to regain it by showing anti-Russian sentiments.

All statements of rightist parties were based on speculations and lies, Mikov said.