Activists of "Greenpeace“ from Bulgaria and Romania stretched a huge lifeline on the sandy border between the two countries, FOCUS reported.
Together they demanded a ban on new oil and gas drilling on the bottom of the Black Sea. The event took place on September 21, with nearly 50 participants, the non-governmental organization announced.
"They are selling us the idea of energy independence through the extraction of our own gas. However, the gas from the bottom of the sea will be neither Bulgarian nor Romanian. It will belong to the concessionaire with the drill, who will sell it to us at market prices. The authorities will co-finance the projects, but whether they will make a profit from the investment is debatable. We are left with the promise of jobs, but the experience of other countries shows that these are temporary and low-skilled positions. The only thing we will actually get is pollution,” said Meglena Antonova, Director of "Greenpeace" – Bulgaria. "We cannot achieve energy independence by allowing oil and gas giants to profit at our expense. We need to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and energy efficiency," Antonova added.
Several large-scale gas production projects are currently planned in the Black Sea: Neptune Deep (OMV Petrom/Romgaz) in Romanian waters, Khan Asparuh (OMV Petrom/Romgaz and NewMed) and Khan Tervel (Shell) in Bulgarian waters, as well as Sakarya (TPAO) in Turkish waters. The Black Sea is particularly vulnerable, as it is closed and relatively limited by the waters of the World Ocean.
An oil spill, methane and chemical leak, or other dangerous incident, such as those typical of the oil and gas industry, would cause catastrophic damage to sensitive marine ecosystems. The consequences for fishing and tourism, which are the main livelihoods along the Black Sea coast, would be serious. With their action, the activists called on the governments of Romania and Bulgaria not to finance new oil and gas extraction projects and to introduce bans on future drilling in their maritime economic spaces.
“Life in the Black Sea is under deadly pressure. We insist that our governments impose a ban on new dangerous drilling at sea. It is time for Bulgaria and Romania to choose a future without fossil gas and give clean energy a chance“, said Alin Tanase, coordinator of the “Climate and Energy“ campaign in "Greenpeace" – Romania.
The dangers facing the Black Sea are already too many – military operations, pollution, overfishing and loss of biodiversity. Due to climate change, it is also among the fastest warming seas on the planet, which makes its ecosystems even more vulnerable. The planned drilling will increase the pressure on it and contribute to the deepening of the climate crisis. The problem is now becoming recognizable to society – nearly 13 thousand Bulgarians have signed a petition to stop the projects. In Romania, there is also an active petition against Neptun Deep, which has collected nearly 64,000 signatures.
"The sea should unite us, not divide us. Life here knows no borders — it supports coastal communities throughout the region. Military operations have already caused serious damage to the marine ecosystem. New drilling for fossil fuels could put it on the brink,“ said Dr. Sofia Sadogurska, a marine biologist from Ukraine and a participant in the action.
The giant lifebuoy remained on the border beach during the day and gave a clear signal that the sea is in danger and we must be united to protect it. In addition to Bulgarians and Romanians, volunteers from Ukraine, Slovakia and Croatia were also present among the "Greenpeace" activists.