The Center for National Security and Defence Research (CNSDR) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences organized a booth of the Academy within the framework of the 17th International Defence Equipment and Services Exhibition “HEMUS 2026” which took place from June 3 to 6, 2026 at the International Fair – Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
The booth presented the results achieved by the units of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences within the framework of the National Scientific Program “Security and Defense”, the Academy’s research capacity in areas of strategic importance, as well as successful practices for the transfer of aerospace technologies for security and defence. Meetings were held at the booth with representatives of the state administration, business and scientific communities from Bulgaria and abroad.
Within the framework of the exhibition, on June 4, CNSDR organized and held a demonstration workshop on the topic “European Resilience from Space”, under the auspices of the Regional Governor of Plovdiv Region, Mr. Georgi Yanev, and with the support of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK).
Greetings to the guests were delivered by Mr. Georgi Yanev – Regional Governor of Plovdiv Region, Mr. Matthias Dehner – Head of the Economic Department at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Sofia and Ms. Sonja Miekley – CEO of the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Among the guests of the workshop were Senior Commissioner Vasil Dimov – Director of the Regional Directorate “Fire Safety and Civil Protection” – Plovdiv, Senior Commissioner Vasil Kostadinov – Director of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior – Plovdiv, Fleet Admiral Vanyo Musinski – Deputy Commander of the Bulgarian Navy, Eng. Haka Sakabov – Deputy Mayor of the Municipality of Plovdiv and others.
The main focus of the discussions was the joint pilot project to establish a “Regional Data Center in Support of Crisis Management, Security and Defence”. The pilot project is being implemented in partnership with the leading German company Constellr which develops and provides high-precision thermal images. Tobias Menne, Vice President of Global Sales – Constellr, presented practical examples of the application of thermal satellite images to support operational monitoring and crisis management. Kamen Iliev, Director of CNSDR, presented the experience of the European Space Agency within the framework of the “European Resilience from Space” Programme in response to Europe’s needs to strengthen its capabilities to protect citizens, critical infrastructure, supply chains, strategic interests and core values of Europe.
The workshop also presented tools to support business in technology transfer and commercialization of space technologies and services within the framework of the project “FIERCE: Making Space for Green Solutions”. The project is funded under the EU Research and Innovation Programme “Horizon Europe”, and since the beginning of 2026 the Technology Transfer Office “Risk-Space-Transfer” – BAS has joined the FIERCE project as an ecosystem partner for Bulgaria.
For its successful participation at the 17th International Exhibition “HEMUS”, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was awarded an Appreciation Plaquette and a Diploma for Participation by the “Hemus-95” Foundation and the International Fair – Plovdiv.
For more information: https://cnsdr.bas.bg/?page_id=6676
