''The Burgas–Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, which according to plans will be fully operational in 2014, is one of the most strategically important projects for the EU's energy policy. Its construction will lead to the creation of a new, reliable and environmentally safe route for transportation and supply of crude oil to European markets, thus strengthening European energy security'', writes Plamen Rusev, director of the Bulgarian branch of the Trans-Balkan Pipeline (TBP).