Sofia, Oct 21 (BTA/GNA) – President Rumen Radev handed the national flag to the members of the 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic expedition at a ceremony in the Coat of Arms Hall of the Presidency building on Monday. The flag was accepted by the head of the expedition, Prof. Christo Pimpirev. “Today, we pay tribute to the Bulgarian state and scientists who, more than three decades ago, made Bulgaria one of the first nations to set foot confidently on Antarctica in an important mission for humanity,” Radev said.
Prof. Pimpirev presented the President with a uniform of the expedition and invited the head of State to visit Antarctica while the Bulgarian scientists are there.
“There is hardly anyone today who thinks that the exploration of Antarctica is exotic or a whim of a group of scientists. Today we all know and believe that the exploration of Antarctica is the key to unlocking the mysteries of our planet, to curbing climate change and to building a sustainable future for the planet,” the President said.
In his words, the Bulgarian Antarctic base and expedition is becoming a truly attractive centre for the development of science on a global scale.
He also underscored the international cooperation in Antarctica.
Greece is sending its scientists to Antarctica for the first time. They will be part of the next Bulgarian expedition and will travel on board the Bulgarian research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii, according to Simeon Konstantinidis, a retired officer of the Greek Navy with experience in oceanography and meteorology.
“We are planning to join the next Bulgarian expedition to Antarctica and to expand the cooperation between Bulgaria and Montenegro in this field,” Dr. Vesna Macic from the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor and lecturer at the University of Montenegro told BTA.
Prof. Pimpirev noted that Bulgaria will help the UAE this year to start its exploration mission to Antarctica by sending two meteorologists.
GNA/BTA