Oil residue has been discovered on a number of Black Sea beaches in Bulgaria.
The most serious situation has been reported near Ahtopol, where small pieces of semi-solid fuel oil have been found in the sea, along the shoreline, and on coastal rocks, according to Bulgarian broadcaster BTV, as cited by TASS.
Similar contamination has also been reported on beaches in Burgas, Sozopol, and Sinemorets.
Numerous reports and comments about the beach pollution have appeared on social media.
The sanitary inspection authority confirmed the contamination of both seawater and coastal areas and issued instructions to beach operators and local administrations to carry out the necessary cleanup measures.
Experts say the pollution is not linked to a recent accident or oil spill. Instead, they believe it consists of residual petroleum fractions that have remained in the sea for a long time. According to specialists, identifying the original source of such contamination is virtually impossible in these cases.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
