Bulgaria and France are opening the door to deep and fruitful cooperation in the fields of high technology and space, Prime Minister Rumen Radev told journalists after attending a ceremony at the Elysee Palace together with French President Emmanuel Macron, where EnduroSat and Arianespace signed a memorandum of understanding. Radev is visiting Paris at the invitation of the French President to participate in the International Space Summit.

According to the Prime Minister, the document signed by the two companies provides an opportunity for Bulgaria to secure its rightful place in the European space ecosystem. Radev emphasized that the Bulgarian company EnduroSat is one of the fastest-growing companies in the development of space technologies and that, in recent years, it has produced and launched more small satellites into orbit than all European companies combined. The Bulgarian company is already investing in France and can use French launch services to put its satellites into orbit.

The document was signed on behalf of the Bulgarian company by its Chief Executive Officer Raycho Raychev, and on behalf of Arianespace by its Chief Executive Officer David Cavailloles.

Under the memorandum, Arianespace and EnduroSat intend to build a long-term partnership offering an integrated European value chain spanning launch services, satellite deployment and in-orbit operations. The partnership will primarily support European institutional missions, while also serving commercial customers, helping to ensure Europe has reliable, independent and strategic access to space, Arianespace said on its website after the signing ceremony.

“President Macron was the first to initiate the debate on Europe’s strategic autonomy,” Radev noted, adding that in today’s rapidly evolving technological environment, space science, research, and industry are key areas for achieving that goal.

At Radev’s meeting with Macron, the two also discussed bilateral cooperation between Bulgaria and France and the potential for deepening the partnership in high technology, the economy, investment, and science.

In Paris, Radev also met with the Director General of the European Space Agency Josef Aschbacher. The Bulgarian delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov and Minister of Innovation and Digital Transformation Ivan Vasilev.