The former military airport at Dobroslavtsi, where flight operations ended 25 years ago, is set to become what the Bulgarian government describes as Europe’s largest advanced space and defense center. The project, based on a public-private partnership, was officially launched with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the government and Starbase Europe during a visit to the site by Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
Radev said the initiative reflects the government’s strategy of investing in high-tech industries and the knowledge economy while opening new opportunities for Bulgarian companies with global ambitions. “Today we are opening the doors to innovative Bulgarian companies and business leaders with bold visions and proven global success. A high-tech industrial park focused on space technologies, the defense industry and the industries of the future will be built here,” he said.
The prime minister stressed that the airport’s runway will not lose its aviation role. Instead, it will be repaired, extended and continue to serve as a training base for the National Protective Service (NSO). He also announced that construction of a National Center for Observation, Coordination and Management of Space Data, an initiative he has promoted since 2020, will finally begin. According to Radev, the center will allow the Bulgarian state to manage key socio-economic processes more efficiently through the use of space-based data.
Radev described the project as a symbol of Bulgaria‘s economic transformation. “We want to turn Bulgaria from a country that consumes technology into one that creates it. The real measure of success will not only be the investments or the jobs created, but our ability to develop and keep talented young Bulgarians here while securing the country’s place in the industries of the future,” he said.
The project will be implemented in several phases. Investor Raycho Raychev, founder of EnduroSat, said the first stage will take three years and will include restoring the runway to full operational capability, creating extensive green areas and constructing the first industrial facilities.
Dobroslavtsi will also become the site for the complete assembly, testing and qualification of Bulgaria‘s next generation of satellites. The spacecraft, weighing between one and three tons, will have deployed solar panels approaching the dimensions of a Boeing 737 airliner.
Alongside the industrial complex, the site will host a research and education center bringing together the joint master’s degree program in Space Engineering and Technologies established by Sofia University, the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy and the Georgi Benkovski Air Force Academy. Investors and local authorities said the development will not damage the surrounding environment.
Novi Iskar Mayor Vladislav Vladimirov welcomed the investment, saying it would breathe new life into an area abandoned for decades. He said the project would create new jobs, stimulate economic development across nearby municipalities and avoid heavy industrial construction that could harm the local ecosystem.
During the visit, Radev declined to comment in detail on whether documentation related to the frozen contract with Turkish energy company Botas would be made public, saying only the commercial entities involved have the authority to release such documents.
The prime minister also addressed the recent incident in Bansko involving Bulgarian youths and Italian students that prompted accusations of anti-Semitism. He condemned hate speech, pointed to Bulgaria‘s history of protecting its Jewish community during World War II, and urged foreign politicians to examine the facts before making public statements. He also called on visitors to Bulgaria to respect the country’s laws and avoid provoking tensions.
The Dobroslavtsi Economic Zone was established in April 2023 by the caretaker government led by Galab Donev. Covering more than 290 hectares just 15 kilometers from central Sofia, it was designated as Bulgaria‘s first specialized industrial zone. The original concept envisioned attracting clean and environmentally friendly automotive production through the National Company of Industrial Zones. After the air force base closed in 2003, the site remained abandoned for two decades despite several unsuccessful redevelopment proposals, including plans for a Formula 1 circuit in 2009.
The visit to Dobroslavtsi was also attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Alexander Pulev and Atanas Pekanov. The government says the new high-tech park is expected to attract major investments, support scientific research and technology transfer, strengthen Bulgaria‘s space sector and create highly skilled jobs.