site.btaNational Plan Adopted for Development of Quantum Communication Infrastructure

The government Thursday adopted a national plan for the development of Bulgaria's quantum communication infrastructure for the 2023-2026 demonstration phase. The plan aims to enhance the country's cybersecurity and ensure communication sovereignty at both the national and European levels. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the national coordinator of the project.

The EuroQCI (European Quantum Communication Infrastructure) initiative aims to protect sensitive data and critical infrastructure by integrating quantum-based systems into existing communication networks, providing an additional layer of security based on quantum physics. The initiative is intended to strengthen the protection of European government institutions, their data centres, hospitals, energy networks and other critical infrastructure, becoming one of the main pillars of the EU's cybersecurity strategy for the coming decades.

Phase One of Bulgaria's national plan includes demonstration activities to deploy an additional security layer based on quantum cryptography in the communication networks of three ministries: the Interior Ministry, the Defence Ministry, and the Transport and Communications Ministry. A communication link connecting Sofia with the Kulata border crossing on the border with Greece was launched as part of the national plan in August 2024.