BULGARIA’S PRESIDENT PLEVNELIEV HANDED THE NATIONAL FLAG TO 25TH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

On 2nd of November, Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev handed the national flag to the 25th Antarctic expedition before it sets off to the coldest continent.

The Bulgarian expedition this year consists of 32 scientists. The first group of 10 will set off on 21st of November for the Bulgarian base St. Clement of Ohrid, situated on the Livingston Island. They will be the first to step on Antarctica this polar season. Scientists from Spain, which are close to the Bulgarian base, will arrive in December.

Speaking at the official ceremony in Sofia, the Bulgarian Head of State pointed out that research work on the Antarctic continent was more important than ever and that thanks to its Antarctic Institute, Bulgaria managed to develop its potential for polar research.

“The white continent holds the answers to the biggest questions related to the future of the planet such as the global warming,“ he noted. The Bulgarian scientists are there as part of the efforts of the progressive mankind to find these answers," the Head of State said.

The President stressed the importance of the Paris climate agreement signed in December 2015 by more than 190 countries and being the first of its kind globally binding agreement on measures aimed at improving the climate. He emphasized the need for courageous, responsible and effective action of all societies and the scientific research as a key element to that and particularly the research in Antarctica - the continent that is most affected by climate change and which holds the key to solving these problems and to the future of the planet.

At the ceremony, the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute was awarded the Honorary Sign of the Head of State for its contribution to the development of the Bulgarian polar research as a national operator of the Bulgarian Antarctic activities, as well as for the high performance and overall activities internationally. President Plevneliev highlighted the contribution of the Bulgarian scientists, thanks to whom Bulgaria developed its potential and role of a polar research nation and received wide international recognition.

The Head of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute prof. Hristo Pimpirev thanked the President and the presidential institution for the support to the Bulgarian Antarctic expeditions and to Bulgaria’s growing as a polar research country.

The Bulgarian polar researchers from the 25th expedition will continue work on mapping the area around the base. For the first time, they will explore the geology of peninsulas Hannah and Byers. Early next year, climbers from the expedition will climb the peaks Levski, Boris and Simeon to measure the characteristic points of the topography of the mountain Tangra. The researchers will also work on a project to study the underwater terrain of Antarctica. The joint research of frozen soil between Bulgaria, Spain and Portugal will start again. The budget of the expedition is 500,000 BGN (250,000 euro).

Hristo Pimpirev told journalists that the expedition this year was a jubilee expedition and the scientists had more ambitious tasks, but the most important was that many young people were involved in it. "I am happy that in these difficult conditions young people are willing to do cutting-edge science as Antarctica is the “kitchen” of the time - we know how important climate changes for all of us are and our scientists are included in the efforts to slow down these disastrous consequences from the melting of the ice sheets," prof. Pimpirev said.

source and photos: BTA