Tsvetelina Penkova, Member of the European Parliament for the Bulgarian Socialist Party, and Kiril Dobrev, Chair of the Transport and Communications Committee in the National Assembly, visited the National Centre of Excellence in Mechatronics and Clean Technologies to see the latest work of Bulgarian scientists and the scope for putting it to use in industry.
During the tour they saw innovative developments ranging from sodium-ion batteries and high-efficiency catalysts to new materials with applications across a number of industries.
Penkova stressed that these achievements have the potential to become a key resource not only for the Bulgarian economy but for the European one.
“With centres like these, our country can become a significant player in the energy sector and in many other industries, from chemicals to construction,” the MEP said.
The visit included a working discussion with the Centre’s management and with Prof. Radostina Stoyanova, Director of the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
The National Centre of Excellence brings together 12 institutes of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and 5 leading Bulgarian universities: the Technical University of Sofia, the Technical University of Gabrovo, the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, the Technical University of Varna and Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.
Together they are building world-class research infrastructure and creating a platform for the transfer of technology and knowledge.
For his part, Kiril Dobrev emphasised the need for scientific achievements to become practical solutions for the economy and to receive adequate state support.
“If we want Bulgarian industry to be competitive, we have to secure the path from the laboratory to the factory. The intellectual potential is there. It is time it became an economic force,” Dobrev said.
Both politicians placed particular emphasis on the new unitary patent, an instrument that simplifies legal protection for inventions across the European Union and encourages technology transfer between member states.
“The research community in Bulgaria has something to offer the world. Our aim is for Bulgarian inventions not to stay on the shelf, but to find real application in industry,” Tsvetelina Penkova concluded.
