site.btaDefence Industry and Innovation Conference Marks 20th Anniversary of Bulgaria's NATO Entry

A high-level conference and industry day on "Growing Demand for Defence Industrial Support and Innovation Opportunities" was held at the Sofia Tech Park in the Bulgarian capital on Tuesday, February 6.

This was the first item on the official calendar of events marking the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to NATO. It was opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel.

The conference was organized by the Defence Ministry in collaboration with the Innovation and Growth Ministry and the Economy and Industry Ministry. It is aimed to popularize EU and NATO defence initiatives and projects. The discussions focused on the future of the defence industries in Europe, defence innovation, and opportunities to expand and upgrade the manufacturing capacities of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base. Bulgarian industry representatives shared their experience of participating in EU and NATO initiatives and projects.

Taking part in the conference were Defence Minister Todor Tagarev, Innovation and Growth Minister Milena Stoycheva and Education and Science Minister Galin Tsokov, deputy ministers, and National Assembly Defence Committee Chair Hristo Gadzhev.

The discussions were moderated by former defence minister Velizar Shalamanov. Speakers included: Timo Pesonen, Director General at the European Commission's Directorate General for Defence Industry and Space; David van Weel, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber; Allan McLeod, Director for Life Cycle Management at the NATO Support and Procurement Agency; and Antonio Calderon, Chief Technology Officer at the NATO Communications and Information Agency.

Bulgarian defence industry executives had a chance to brief the other participants on their manufacturing and technological capacities.

Bulgaria and six other countries of Eastern Europe (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania) became full members of NATO in 2004.