Bulgaria's parliament backed on first reading a government decision to cancel an agreement with Greece and Russia on the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project.
A total of 115 MPs voted in favour, 25 were against and one abstained, parliament said in a statement. The bill is expected to pass on second reading on Friday.
In December 2011, Bulgaria proposed that the three partners abandon the Burgas-Alexandroupolis project by mutual consent, as otherwise it would back out unilaterally in 12 months.
The 258-kilometre pipeline was designed to link the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas with the Greek Aegean port of Alexandroupolis overland. Tankers were planned to discharge the oil at an offshore terminal in Burgas where it could be fed into the pipeline for transportation to Alexandroupolis.