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There is no threat to the Bulgarian coast from the spill of Russian oil near Kerch, says ex-environment minister

Photo: BTA, archive

There is no threat to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast following the spill of Russian oil in the Kerch Strait connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, former Bulgarian Minister of the Environment Borislav Sandov commented for the Bulgarian National Radio after the incident with two Russian oil tankers in the Kerch Strait. 

"In any case, we are talking about an ecological disaster. The question is whether it will be local, regional or international. We are talking about 9,000 tons of fuel oil. This necessarily leads to a fatal end for crustaceans and smaller organisms in the Black Sea," the expert said, specifying that due to the season, birds will be less vulnerable. 

Part of this fuel oil will also spill onto the coast. Given the meteorology and distance - in the Black Sea, where there are two circular currents, sea currents should not bring part of the spill to Bulgaria, Sandov further explained. He defined the chance of this as zero, but pointed out that in a few months "fuel oil balls" may appear in the Bulgarian coastal waters.

Bulgaria is not threatened, Borislav Sandov believes. In the event of this type of fuel oil spill, rapid mechanical collection and pumping should be implemented, but given the area and the ongoing military action, this is not expected to happen, Sandov pointed out.



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