BarentsNews.com

Norwegian Environmental Minister B?rge Brende expressed concern over Russian plans for using large tankers to transport oil from Murmansk along the Norwegian coast. He shared his worries during a recent visit to Murmansk, where he had talks with the Murmansk region’s governor Yuri Yevdokimov.

Mr Brende said that oil transportation from Murmansk poses a serious threat to the environment of the Barents Euro-Arctic region, as Russia is probably unprepared to combat possible oil-spills.

Involving large tankers must be secured by having an efficient system of oil spills prevention and well-coordinated actions in case of emergency, the Norwegian minister underlined.