The Bulgarian government and the countries of the region should join forces for a faster establishment of an international institute for sustainable technologies in Southeast Europe, Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev said at a meeting with the Director General of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), Prof. Fabiola Giannotti, the presidential press office reported. Prof. Giannotti is in the country on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Bulgaria's accession to CERN.

President Radev highlighted the importance of building modern science centres in Southeast Europe, which will create development prospects for young people in their home countries. Without an equal distribution of scientific and educational infrastructure between Eastern and Western Europe, a real social and economic cohesion in the EU would be impossible to achieve, no matter how much EU funds are used, the president said. "We are grateful for CERN's support and its stated willingness to provide state-of-the-art technologies," the head of state noted.

Prof. Giannotti confirmed CERN's readiness to assist in the establishment of an institute for sustainable technologies in Southeast Europe, technological exchange, and further expansion of scientific cooperation with Bulgaria. She praised the work of the Bulgarian scientific community, the country’s consistent support for CERN, and highlighted the contribution of young Bulgarian scientists to the organisation's projects.