1993

The late Nikos Gregoriadis presents his vision for the construction of the «Burgas – Alexandroupolis» Oil Pipeline to Greece’s Prime Minister Mr Constantine Mitsotakis.

1994

Thessaloniki, 29 June

Meeting of Greek and Bulgarian representatives. Signing of a Declaration of Intent by the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Karolos Papoulias and the Minister of Regional Development of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Christo Totev.

Moscow, 22–23 November

Meeting of Greek and Russian (Gazprom & Russian Research Institute) companies. Signing of a Memorandum on the examined proposals.

Athens, 18–20 December

Meeting of the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, the late Andreas Papandreou, with the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mr Oleg Davidoff. Signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation.

1997

Athens, 19 January

Meeting of the Minister of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr Piotr Rodionov and the President of Gazprom Mr R. Vyakhirev with the Greek Prime Minister Mr Kostas Simitis and Minister of Development Mrs Vaso Papandreou.

1998

Athens, 24 February

DEP-THRAKI consortium is founded by Public Petroleum Company (DEP) (25%) and Latsis Group of Companies with Kopelouzos Group of Companies (75%), to carry out a feasibility study and the project’s basic plan.

Athens, 7 May Trilateral Experts Meeting. Signing of a Memorandum for the establishment of the Transbalkan Oil Pipeline Company.

2001

Athens, January

Completion of the 2nd phase of the project’s study. 2002 Moscow, 30 January Meeting of the Trilateral Working Committee: Head of the Russian Delegation is Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy Mr Vladimir Stanev, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation is Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Mr Hasan Hasan and Head of the Greek Delegation is the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr George Agrafiotis. Completion, assessment and approval of the studies’ results.

2002

Moscow, 30 January

Meeting of the Trilateral Working Committee: Head of the Russian Delegation is Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy Mr Vladimir Stanev, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation is Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Mr Hasan Hasan and Head of the Greek Delegation is the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr George Agrafiotis. Completion, assessment and approval of the studies’ results.

2003

Athens, 29 January

Meeting of the Greek Minister of Development Mr Akis Tsochatzopoulos with the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Valentin Tserovski.

2004

Athens, 21 August

Meeting of the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Petros Molyviatis and the Greek Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Valentin Tserovski. The meeting was also attended by the Greek Deputy Minister of Development Mr George Salagoudis and the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr Nikos Stefanou.

Athens, 14 October

Meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Petros Molyviatis, the Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Evripidis Stylianidis with Mr Yuri Yusufov, Special Representative for International Energy Issues of the President of the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Putin.

Athens, 4–5 November

Meeting, 33 months later, of representatives of the governments of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic. Reactivation of the Trilateral Working Committee for the project, inaugurated by the Greek Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas.

2005

Moscow, 26–27 January

Meeting of the Trilateral Working Committee and establishment of the Initiative Group of companies to be involved in the project. Head of the Greek delegation is Deputy Minister of Development Mr George Salagoudis, accompanied by the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr Nikos Stefanou and the Director of the Diplomatic Office of the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Dimitris Platis. Headof the Russian Delegation was the Director of Fuels of the Ministry of Industry and Energy Mr Anatoly Yanovski and Head of the Bulgarian delegation the Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Mr Kalin Rogachev.

Sofia, 12 April

The Memorandum of Cooperation for the construction of the «Burgas – Alexandroupolis» Oil Pipeline is signed by the Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr Victor Êhristenko, the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Valentin Tserovski and the Minister of Development of the Hellenic Republic Mr Dimitris Sioufas.

2006

Athens, 23 February

Meeting of the Greek Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Rumen Ovcharov, where the next steps for the promotion of the project were discussed.

Athens, 17 March

Meeting of the Greek Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with the Director of the Department of Fuels of the Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr Anatoly Yanovski. During the meeting, both parties agreed to further intensify their efforts to accelerate its realisation.

Athens, 4 September

Summit meeting among the President of the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Putin, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Georgi Purvanov and the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Mr Kostas Karamanlis, that led to a firm commitment towards the signing of an Agreement for the «Burgas–Alexandroupolis» oil pipeline.

Athens, 22 September

Appointment by the Greek Prime Minister of the Official Greek Delegation for the negotiations, headed by the Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas. Members of the delegation were: Deputy-head of delegation Mr Anastasios Nerantzis Deputy Minister of Development. Mr Theodoros Skylakakis, General Secretary of International Financial Relations and Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Nikos Stefanou, General Secretary of the Ministry of Development, Mr Dimitris Platis, Director of the Diplomatic Office of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Evripidis Stylianidis,  Mrs Teresa Angelatou, Diplomatic Counsellor of the Minister of Development, First Counsellor, Mr Achilles Kyrtsis, Secretary of the Delegation and Advisor to the Minister of Development. The Joint Secretariat Committee Chaired by the Secretary General of the Development Ministry, Mr. Nikos Stephanou, with the Foreign Ministry’s Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation, Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis, as vice-Chairman.

Sotchi, 26 September

Meeting of Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr Victor Khristenko and Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Rumen Ovcharov, on the occasion of the BSEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting, where the next steps for the signing of the Agreement were outlined.

Moscow, 2 November

Meetings of the Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with the Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr. Victor Khristenko. The meetings were also attended by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy Mr Andrei Dementiev and the Greek General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr Nikos Stefanou.

Sofia, 3 November

Meetings of the Greek Minister of Development Mr Dimitris Sioufas with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Georgi Purvanov, the Minister of Economy and Energy of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Rumen Ovcharov and the Minister of Regional Development Mr Asen Gagauzov. 

Moscow, 13 December

Meeting of the three delegations. Head of the Russian Delegation was Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy Mr Andrei Dementiev, Head of the Bulgarian Delegation was Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Mr Kalin Rogachev and Head of the Greek Delegation was the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development Mr Nikos Stefanou. In the course of this meeting, the three delegations thoroughly discussed the basis of a draft Agreement.

Sofia, 19 December

Further consultation on the text of the draft Agreement amongst the delegations of the three parties (same representation as in the above meeting in Moscow, on 13 December 2006). The three delegations elaborate on the draft Agreement.

2007

Burgas, 7 February

Initialling of the Agreement on the cooperation of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic during the construction and operation of the “Burgas – Alexandroupolis” Oil Pipeline, by the heads of the three delegations, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy of the Russian Federation Mr Andrei Dementiev, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Public Works of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Kalin Rogachev and the General Secretary of the Ministry of Development of the Hellenic Republic Mr Nikos Stefanou.