SOFIA, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian President Rumen Radev announced here on Monday that his country would begin the construction of a science laboratory in Antarctica this year.
Radev made the statement at a special ceremony where he announced that Bulgaria would send its 28th scientific expedition to Antarctica and handed the national flag to the expedition leader, Professor Christo Pimpirev.
"This year is special; it is very important because the country is beginning to build a modern research laboratory in Antarctica," Radev said.
"There is no longer any doubt that the research and observations that scientists make on the ice continent are crucial not only to the ecology, but also to the fight against climate change as well as for the future of planet Earth," he said.
Pimpirev told reporters that the laboratory would be built in three years.
This year, Bulgarian polar explorers would lay the foundations of the laboratory "which are very important," Pimpirev said.
The laboratory would be located close to the main buildings of the Bulgarian Antarctic base St. Kliment Ohridski on Livingston Island, but it would be autonomous, with independent power supply and water source, he said.
The expedition team would consist of 29 Bulgarians and seven foreigners, and the first group would leave for Antarctica on Wednesday, he said.
