Bulgaria's First Science and Technology Park fficially inaugurated

President Rosen Plevneliev Friday inaugurated Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria's first science and technology park (Technology+Innovation Network, TIN).

He cut the ribbon together with Slovak President Andrej Kiska, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Bavarian Minister President Horst Seehofer, European Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cretu, Economy Minister Bozhidar Loukarski and Sofia Tech Park Executive Director Elitsa Panayotova.

The formal opening took place in the Innovation Forum building, which was named by Plevneliev and Borissov after John Atanasoff, the father of the computer, who is of Bulgarian origin.

Plevneliev said: "Sofia Tech Park is not just a hi-tech park, the first in Bulgaria and the Balkans, but a cause for a Bulgaria of the future." He thanked the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister for EU funds and economic policy and the Economy Minister for supporting the project. The government gave young people and the industries of Bulgaria's future an over 30-hectare lot in Sofia with a market valuation of at least 100-150 million euro, where "a pile of skyscrapers" was planned by previous governments, and over 1.5 million square metres of office space, so they can develop.

Commissioner Cretu said the inauguration was the culmination of several years of serious work involving many people in Bulgaria and the European Commission. She called the tech park a great achievement and said the European Regional Development Fund invested some 40 million euro in it. The EU Funds will invest 10 billion euro in the Bulgarian economy in the coming years.

Loukarski said that what was shown now was the first step towards a much more ambitious goal - an innovation-based economy. In less favourable conditions for innovation activity, Bulgaria has achieved better results than 19 of the 28 EU Member States, the Economy Minister said.

Later on Plevneliev and Kiska opened the official panel of a conference on "The Role of Science and Technology Parks in the Development of Entrepreneurship and Innovations".

Plevneliev said: "Today we hail the beginning of a new stage in Bulgaria's development as a knowledge and innovation economy. Sofia Tech Park will undoubtedly play a key role in support of entrepreneurship and innovation in this country and the region. It has a potential to become a hub of the innovation ecosystem of Southeastern Europe." Business, science and investors should recognize the goals and ideas provided by Sofia Tech Park, and find a good location and services for the implementation of ideas.

Plevneliev noted the ambitious task of developing the start-up ecosystem of Sofia, Bulgaria and the region in Sofia Tech Park's Business Incubator. Sofia is becoming established as a regional centre of entrepreneurship, he said.

Slovak President Andrej Kiska said Sofia Tech Park is a symbol, not just buildings. Education and universities are our future, they are of key importance for the good pace of the economy, he said.

The two Presidents opened a street in Sofia Tech Park named after Slovak inventor Jozef Murgas.

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