site.btaUPDATED President Radev Hands National Flag to 34th Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition

President Rumen Radev presented the national flag to members of the 34th Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition at a ceremony held in the Coat of Arms Hall of the President's Administration on Tuesday. The flag was accepted by the leader of the expedition, Prof. Christo Pimpirev.

"Those who hold the key to the secrets of the White Continent also hold the key to our future," said Radev. “One of the most significant contributions of Antarctic researchers is that they have built a model for a successful future for the planet — one not of war and mutual destruction, but of understanding, friendship, solidarity and mutual assistance. These values are precisely what is key to survival in such harsh conditions and to the success of any activity on this challenging continent," the president added.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Bulgarian expedition will sail to Antarctica on the naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421). The first group of Bulgarian scientists will depart on November 10 for the St. Kliment Ohridski base on Livingston Island.

The President emphasized that Bulgaria's increased technical capabilities allow it to "repay all countries that have provided logistical support to our mission over the years".

“It is with pride that we note that over 1,600 sites on the Antarctic bear Bulgarian names. They not only remind us of our decades-long presence there but also carry a piece of the Bulgarian spirit to these distant lands. Today, no one doubts the exceptional importance of scientific observations and research on the White Continent—for ecology, for combating climate change, and for unravelling the secrets of the planet from millions of years ago," the president added.

He thanked Prof. Pimpirev and the expedition participants for their scientific contributions, as well as the ambassadors of the countries that have supported Bulgarian polar expeditions over the years. He also thanked all those who send their scientists and researchers to our base, enabling us to strengthen our partnerships and work towards building a peaceful and prosperous world.

Addressing the audience, Prof. Christo Pimpirev emphasized that “with our research vessel, we have proven that we are a maritime nation”.

“In addition to the current expedition, we have already conducted a number of studies with our research vessel. We are studying ocean currents in relation to sea level rise and global climate change in collaboration with our colleagues from the Oceanographic Institute in Hamburg, Germany. In a few days, scientists from the United States and Portugal will join us in Punta Arenas. Together, we will study marine biology and the impact of global climate change on this unique ecosystem, which inhabits the only unpolluted part of our planet," he added.

Those present at the ceremony included secretaries, advisors, representatives of the academic community, admirals, officers and representatives of state institutions, as well as Prof. Pimpirev and participants in the 34th Antarctic expedition. Among those present was Kiril Valchev, the Director General of the Bulgarian New Agency.

A total of 25 scientific projects will be carried out during the current expedition, 15 of which are led by Bulgarian teams and cover microbiological research, marine biology, medicine, sociology, space research and oceanology. The scientific teams are from Sofia University, the Technical University, and institutes affiliated with the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

For a second year in a row, the Bulgarian expedition will include researchers from Greece, Montenegro and Romania, and a large marine biology project will be implemented with scholars from Portugal, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.