Bulgaria is a country from which others in the Balkans learn when it comes to polar research, Sofia University Rector Prof. Eliza Stefanova said in an interview with BTA.
“Not many countries are represented in polar expeditions. On the Balkan Peninsula, we are a country from which all the others learn,” Stefanova said.
She is representing Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski at the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), currently taking place in Antalya, Turkiye. The University’s Centre for Polar Studies and the Bulgarian naval research vessel Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii (RSV 421), which is undertaking its fifth voyage to Antarctica, are also participating in the conference.
Stefanova said Sofia University’s participation this year included several discussion panels organized at the Bulgarian pavilion. A distinctive feature was the involvement of the research vessel, which docked in Antalya on its way to Antarctica for the 35th Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition and hosted a number of events.
She recalled that Turkish schoolchildren had visited the vessel as part of COP31, describing the initiative as highly successful.
According to Stefanova, discussions at the Bulgarian pavilion and aboard RSV 421, including with international partners, addressed issues concerning the Black Sea region, the Danube region and the world’s oceans. Particular attention was paid to how polar research reveals climate trends and how scientific findings can inform policymaking.
She noted that these discussions contributed to the objectives of the UN climate conference and helped strengthen international cooperation.
“Colleagues from Türkiye who want to build their own research vessel visited our ship. Its commanding officer, Commander Radko Muevski, gave them a very detailed presentation, and the expectation is that the Bulgarian side will act as a consultant in the construction of their new research vessel,” Stefanova said.
She added that the discussion panels had also briefly presented an idea for a third component of the polar research scientific programme, involving the acquisition of a satellite by Sofia University to support scientific research, particularly in the Black Sea region and Antarctica.
Stefanova attributed Bulgaria’s achievements in polar exploration to the initiative of Sofia University researchers who, more than 35 years ago, had the ambition and determination to establish the country’s Antarctic research programme.
She singled out Prof. Hristo Pimpirev as both the public face and the driving force behind Bulgaria’s polar expeditions.
“We continue to be a leader on the Balkan Peninsula, and this is truly a source of pride for Sofia University in particular,” she said.
The Rector stressed that research conducted with the support of the vessel was creating further opportunities for cooperation with countries around the world, including those outside Europe.
She said these activities contributed to the development of Bulgarian scientific research, fostered international contacts and also helped maintain links with Bulgarian communities abroad.
According to Stefanova, these wider benefits demonstrated the importance of Sofia University’s role as a driving force behind Bulgaria’s polar research activities and its participation in international initiatives such as COP31.
Looking ahead, Stefanova suggested that Sofia University could consider establishing its own pavilion at future UN climate conferences to improve the visibility of Bulgarian science.
“We saw pavilions belonging to universities from other countries that had their own independent presence. This makes them more visible, both in terms of their scientific research and their overall participation in events of this kind,” she said.
The RSV 421 departed from Varna on November 4 on its fifth voyage to Antarctica, as part of the 35th Bulgarian Antarctic Expedition. A formal military send-off ceremony was held at the Passenger Terminal of the Port of Varna.
The vessel set course for Antarctica to help support the Bulgarian polar expedition and the research activities at the Bulgarian St Kliment Ohridski Base on Livingston Island. The Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna has emphasized that RSV 421’s mission is essential for developing Bulgaria’s polar presence, conducting scientific research and strengthening the country’s role as an active participant in international Antarctic cooperation.
A BTA national press club has been operating aboard RSV 421 since 2022. Media representatives are also taking part in its fifth expedition. They are reporter Simona-Alex Mihaleva and photojournalist Milena Stoykova, who will remain aboard Sv. Sv. Kiril i Metodii until Antalya.

Bulgaria Is a Model for Other Balkan Countries in Polar Research, Sofia University Rector Says THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-11-12 04:01:51

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