Bulgaria's energy ministry has opened a public procurement procedure to select a consultant to carry out the feasibility study for the construction of an interconnector pipeline between the gas networks of Bulgaria and Serbia on Bulgarian territory, the ministry said. Offers will be accepted by August 29. The EUR 2.5mn feasibility study will be financed under the country’s regional development operational programme. The gas link will be 150 kilometres long, 50 kilometres of which are on Bulgarian territory. It will supply 1.8bn cubic metres of gas annually. The construction of the Bulgarian stretch of the pipeline will cost EUR 60mn, also financed under the regional development programme. Construction works are expected to start in 2013 or 2014 and to be completed a year later.