The Bulgarian government and the countries from the region should pool efforts to speed up the building of an international institute for sustainable technologies. Head of State Rumen Radev expressed this position at a meeting with prof. Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), held at 2 Dondukov street. Prof. Gianotti is visiting our country on the occasion of the solemn marking of the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria’s full CERN membership.
President Radev highlighted the importance of building modern research facilities in Southeastern Europe as a prerequisite for creating career prospects for the young people in their native countries. Rumen Radev reiterated that without an even distribution of research and education infrastructure between Eastern and Western Europe it is impossible to achieve real social and economic convergence in the EU, no matter how many EU funds are absorbed. “We are grateful for CERN’s support and the expressed readiness for the provision of state-of-the-art technologies,” the Bulgarian Head of State said and called on CERN to share its expertise also with respect to models for the financing of such projects and for legal assistance.
Prof. Gianotti confirmed CERN’s readiness to assist with the building of an institute for sustainable technologies in Southeastern Europe, with technological exchange and a follow-up expansion of the scientific cooperation with Bulgaria. She highly appreciated the work of the Bulgarian scientific community and Bulgaria’s consistent support for CERN and highlighted the contribution of young Bulgarian researchers in CERN projects.
The meeting was also attended by Prof. Leander Lilov, head of the Bulgarian team in CERN and lecturer in the Faculty of Physics of St. Kl. Ohridski University of Sofia.