Greece and Bulgaria to Join Forces in Antarctica

Greek scientists are set to travel to the Bulgarian station in Antarctica. This was announced at a conference on the cooperation of Balkan countries in the polar regions, held in the Bulgarian city of Ahtopol.

An astrophysicist and a psychologist from Greece will be heading to Antarctica aboard the research vessel "St. Cyril and Methodius". The research program of the professor from the University of Athens will include astronomical observations, while a research fellow from the University of Crete will study the psychological issues of people who spend a long time in an isolated environment.

The opportunity to work in Antarctica has presented itself to Greek scientists for the first time, thanks to international cooperation within the framework of the European programs EUPolarNet-2 and POLARIN. On their first visit to the Southern Continent, scientists from Greece will live and work at the Bulgarian base, where they will share the necessary tools and technologies.

According to the president of the non-governmental organization "Greek Polar Society", using the experience and developments of their colleagues, the Greeks hope to "acquire know-how and even build their own base there in the future."

In addition to representatives from the Balkans, scientists from the Spanish Polar Committee, the German Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, and the Polish Polar Research Center were present at the international forum in Ahtopol.