site.btaUPDATED Science Is the Face of Bulgaria's Success - BTA Director General Valchev

The new issue of BTA's LIK magazine talks about the face of Bulgaria's success, which is Bulgarian science, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said on Thursday while presenting the magazine's new issue at BTA's national press club in the coastal city.

Bulgaria needs self-confidence and its scientists give it, he added and announced that the magazine "Bulgarian Science in Antarctica" will be published not only in Bulgarian, but also in English and Spanish, as the accumulated experience shows that the interest in it is great among Spanish speakers.

Valchev noted that he is sending three important messages at the presentation. According to him, the time has come for Bulgaria to think about a new research ship to replace the current Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421), because the design and construction of such a ship takes a long time.

He pointed out that there is a need to expand Bulgaria's presence in Antarctica and stressed that thanks to the Bulgarian ship this country's new scientific laboratory was completed in just two years and now a larger-scale exploration of the islands and the continent itself, can be planned.

 He also recommended that this country promotes its presence in Antarctica, just as the BTA does.

According to him, one such opportunity is the upcoming Expo 2025 in Osaka, for which ideas are still being gathered. "Bulgaria could have a very interesting presentation if its main theme is Bulgarian science in Antarctica, provided we are one of the 29 countries with voting rights for the management of the [South] Pole," Valchev added.

"Today's [Thursday] presentation of the special edition of the LIK magazine "Bulgarian Science in Antarctica" will be made in all 38 press clubs of the [Bulgarian News] Agency, except the one on Livingston Island. The reason is that the winter is starting there, there are no Bulgarian scientists and the BTA press club, which was opened in February, is not functioning at the moment," Valchev said.

He said he had an idea that this year BTA would become part of the project with a camera to broadcast 365 days a year online what is happening on the Bulgarian base. 

"This issue of LIK also fulfils the duty of the Bulgarian media to present Antarctica as a systematic effort of Bulgarian science and the research of our scientists," said Kiril Valchev at the end of the presentation of the magazine. He explained that for 30 years almost all Antarctic expeditions have involved journalists, but for them the personal discovery of being on the Ice Continent becomes news and everyone puts themselves in the centre. "In all these years, the Bulgarian media have hardly covered scientific research and an image has been created in the minds of our public that this is an adventure," Valchev said, acknowledging that this is a shared responsibility. "LIK's issue dedicated to Bulgarian science in Antarctica comes out at the right time in May because this is the month when, because of the feasts of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius and May 24 [Day of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, of the Bulgarian Alphabet, Education and Culture, and of Slavic Literature], we all pay more attention to education and science."