The construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline will begin in 2010, Kostis Khatzidhakis, Greece's development minister said Thursday, according to the RIA Novosti news service.
"Being guided by today's data, we estimate that the construction of the project can start in 2010," said Khatzidhakis, after a meeting with Russia's state pipeline operator Transneft.
Khatzidhakis said the Greek government would submit a draft law to parliament by June 2009 that would speed up construction of the pipeline, and define it as a "project of national significance."
Russia, Bulgaria and Greece signed a memorandum on the pipeline in April 2005.