site.btaNew Research Lab Opened at Bulgarian Antarctic Base

The building of the new research laboratory at the St Kliment Ohridski Bulgarian Antarctic Base on Livingston Island was opened at a solemn ceremony. The ribbon of the completely finished building was cut by the head of the Bulgarian Antarctic Expeditions Prof. Christo Pimpirev, the Rector of Sofia University, Prof. Georgi Valchev and Flotilla Admiral Boyan Mednikarov (Ret). The event took place on Prof. Pimpirev's 72nd birthday in the presence of the participants of the 33rd Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition and guests from the Spanish Antarctic Base Juan Carlos I. During the ceremony, the icon of the Holy Mother of God and the Christ Child was presented as a gift from His Holiness Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Daniil.

 The construction of the new research laboratory at the Bulgarian Base on Livingston Island started in 2021. It houses three dedicated science laboratories that will help expand the number and scope of scientific research being conducted in Antarctica. The construction of the new laboratory falls within the scope of the country's Science Infrastructure Roadmap, which is part of the European Science Infrastructure Roadmap. As a member country of the European Union, the Bulgarian facilities are already used by visiting researchers from various European countries, and with the opening of the new science laboratory, it is expected that the number of international collaborative research projects will also increase.

The idea to start building a new research laboratory came as a necessity to have those samples that are collected in Antarctica, within the framework of the various studies, to be examined quickly and efficiently on site, without being shipped to Bulgaria.As early as next season, scientists will be able to carry out their research on site and so increase the efficiency and scope of their scientific observations significantly. Of course, all this has been made much easier with the acquisition of the Bulgarian research vessel, which already with its first voyage from Varna to Livingston Island in 2022 started to transport all the necessary construction materials and equipment, so that this site did not remain merely a concept only, but was completed in just three years," Pimpirev said. The Professor also expressed his gratitude to the Spanish Antarctic expedition for the long-standing cooperation and friendship.

"The opening of the new Antarctic laboratory confirms the current trend in the development of science involving the sharing of human resources and scientific infrastructure. With such bold steps, Bulgaria is becoming more and more visible in the global scientific community and an increasingly welcome partner in large-scale international scientific research projects. It is also a pledge that many young people will take up the path of science and in turn contribute to the development of world knowledge and humanity, Prof. Georgi Valchev said.

"We, the representatives of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, are extremely proud to have had the opportunity to participate in this unique construction together with our friends - the Bulgarian Antarctic researchers, and we are impressed by the remarkable result achieved. To make it all happen, over the course of three campaigns, RSV 421 transported more than 160 tonnes of building structures and materials from Bulgaria, which were used for the new laboratory and for the modernisation of the existing Bulgarian Antarctic base, said Mednikarov.

Pimpirev was congratulated on his birthday by Education Minister Krasimir Valchev and Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh.

The three labs housed in the new building will be equipped to work and put to use for field studies as early as the next polar season.