Bulgaria has not only a long history in space research, science and technology, but also has its deserved place in today's common efforts to develop European space capabilities. This was stated by Prime Minister Rumen Radev during the “Euronews“ Defense and Space Summit in Brussels. The Prime Minister emphasized the strong traditions of our country in this area, as well as new achievements, a shining example of which is the Bulgarian company “EnduroSat“. In recent years, this company has managed to produce and send into space more small satellites than all European companies combined. And two weeks ago, in the presence of Prime Minister Rumen Radev and French President Emmanuel Macron, a memorandum of understanding was signed at the Elysee Palace in Paris between “EnduroSat“ and “Arianespace“.
Space is no longer just a backdrop for security and defense, it is gradually becoming their foundation, the Bulgarian Prime Minister also stated and outlined the current strategic challenges facing Europe in terms of space technologies and industry. “The question is not only about money. Our future success will depend on how wisely we use these funds together. If we want to see Europe strong, prosperous and stable, we must build a strong European space ecosystem“, Radev noted and added “the most important thing is to act together and to act faster“. According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, greater interoperability between national and European space programs is needed. “We need to accelerate the transition from the laboratory to orbit and from orbit to operational application“, Radev also pointed out.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that there is a place for every EU and NATO member state in this common effort. The Bulgarian Prime Minister recalled that only two decades ago, space was a privilege only for countries with enormous financial resources and industrial capacity. However, with the development of new technologies and artificial intelligence, the opportunities are increasing many times over. “You no longer need to have enormous financial resources to become an important contributor to the European space ecosystem. Talent, clear vision and perseverance, hard work and determination are needed“, Radev said and stressed that the speed of change is crucial for the future of Europe. "I am very proud that Bulgaria has made a strong contribution to this common effort," concluded Prime Minister Rumen Radev.