The Ministry of Innovation and Growth (MIG) has launched an initiative to make Bulgaria an innovation hub in Southeast Europe and is working consistently to develop partnerships with other countries in the region, Innovation and Growth Minister Milena Stoycheva said in a BTA interview BTA in Dubai.
She is here for events on the programme of the Bulgarian pavilion at the COP28 climate conference.
"We already have a partnership with Romania, we are currently working on signing agreements with Greece, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, maybe Poland. Talks with Finland on signing a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of technology and innovation have also already started," the minister added.
Another initiative of her ministry, which Milena Stoycheva highlighted, was an agreement signed with hi-tech giant Intel for free training programs focused on AI, which will be available through schools and training centers.
"Bulgaria's participation in COP28 comes at a very important time - when the issue of climate change and more generally the impact that we as a society, as an economy, as a civilization are having on the planet has reached a tipping point. Because of this, it is very important at this very moment to show proactive action with solutions. That is why our Ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Water, has chosen as the theme of the Bulgarian participation the innovations and solutions that Bulgaria can present at this climate conference," said Minister Stoycheva.
She said that her Ministry has three tools to help people develop and implement hi-tech and innovation. "One is related to taking legislative action to support the overall development of entrepreneurial behaviour and decisions in society, to support young companies to choose to develop in Bulgaria, and to invest in these young companies. From another point of view, we need to create and send a very clear message - both in terms of the business environment and the business climate. A message that we are a good place to do business, a good place for investors to develop their solutions. Something very important is to start thinking of Bulgaria as a place of talent, where we have very active and well established positions in modern and advanced sectors. As a place where research and development and the creation of the first stage of new solutions can be the focus of any growing company. In the world right now, nobody can remain active and competitive if they do not invest in their growth and development, if they do not invest in coming up with new solutions, because there are many global challenges. We believe that Bulgaria can specialize in exactly this part of the value chain - in the area of development through human capital and human talent of these new solutions, because they are the foundation of the modern economy. Modern economies are becoming increasingly technological and changes are being made through the new technologies that underpin the new solutions," said the Minister.
The biggest challenge to innovation in Bulgaria is people - not resources, she said. "At the moment Bulgaria, through the portfolio of the Innovation and Growth Ministry, offers significant financial resources to support businesses through various instruments - through the Fund of Funds, the Bulgarian Development Bank, through the competitiveness programmes, which this year and next are entirely focused on creating capacity, developing and implementing innovations, for cooperation between business, the scientific and educational community, in creating new models. The challenges actually remain mainly the people. On the one hand, we need to support people to change their thinking, and on the other hand to support them in developing the skills that will help them to be relevant in the labour market and to be in demand, to be the talents that develop the modern economy."
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