site.btaSupercomputer to Be Built in Bulgaria by 2020

June 17 (BTA) - A supercomputer will be built in
Bulgaria, said here on Monday European Commissioner for Digital
Economy and Digital Society Mariya Gabriel during a news
conference after meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov
and the Director General of DG CONNECT (Directorate General of
Communication, Networks, Content and Technology) at the European
 Commission (EC), Roberto Viola. This will make Bulgaria one of
 eight countries with such a European supercomputer, the EU
Commissioner explained.

Gabriel said that the total investments adds up to 1 billion
euro, of which 486 million euro are provided by the EC. The
remainder will come from Member States and private partnerships.
 The project in Bulgaria costs 18 million euro, 12 million of
which will come from Bulgaria and the remaining 6 million euro -
 from the EC, she said, adding that this supercomputer should be
 up and running by 2020.

Roberto Viola noted that this is the largest EU investment in
Bulgaria related to scientific infrastructure. According to him,
 the computer to be built in this country will be as powerful as
 the one in NASA's centre. "This will be the most powerful
supercomputer in Eastern Europe," he added. There will be an
opportunity to introduce artificial intelligence, which could be
 used to predict tornadoes, thunderstorms and earthquakes. The
Bulgarian supercomputer will be connected to a network between
all the European computers.

Boyko Borissov added that this centre will be predominantly
staffed by Bulgarians and will be built in Sofia's Tech Park.
The Prime Minister commented that this supercomputer will offer
Bulgaria huge opportunities and allow for the testing of car
parts, bridges and buildings. It will work round-the-clock, he
said.

Borissov noted that no such machines currently exist in Eastern
Europe, which puts Bulgaria in a completely different role in
the field of innovations, science and high technology. RY/MY



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