Bulgaria will join an international project in 2027 to send data across the Black Sea between Europe and Asia, innovation and digital transformation minister Ivan Vasilev said at a forum in Burgas.

The route starts in Kazakhstan, crosses Azerbaijan and the Black Sea, and ends in Sofia.

Vasilev spoke at the international forum "Black Sea 2030: Security, Resilience, Innovation" at the International Congress Centre in Burgas. He said the new link will give the region new opportunities, because data drives the knowledge economy and high-value activities, meaning work that brings in more money.

The minister said the Black Sea region should also develop its connectivity, not just tourism and trade.

Research must find practical use and not stay in published papers, he insisted. Vasilev said a scheme in which municipalities, research institutes and entrepreneurs are partners is working.

"We in public institutions must encourage this more and be the first customer for this innovation," Vasilev said.

The ministry is drawing up a clear and accessible approach to technology transfer, meaning a path by which scientists' discoveries reach the market. The idea is to give researchers an incentive to turn their work into products and services that solve specific problems.