Digital sovereignty is no longer an abstract concept. It has become a key factor in the economic resilience and strategic autonomy of states. This was stated by the Minister of Innovation and Growth, Irena Mladenova, as she opened the first conference in Bulgaria dedicated to one of the most significant issues for the European economy and public sector: digital sovereignty. The event is being held under the title “The Future of Digital Sovereignty. The Challenges. The Solution” and is organized by the Bulgarian team of Schwarz Digits, the technology division of the international Schwarz Group and a strategic investor in the development of digital infrastructure.
Minister Mladenova stated that control over digital infrastructure, data, and technological standards is becoming an increasingly decisive factor in the competitiveness of economies and that, accordingly, the question facing Europe is not whether to build such sovereignty, but how quickly and through which partnerships it will do so.
According to her, this issue has a clearly defined economic dimension for the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. “Sovereign digital infrastructure is not merely a security instrument; it is a foundation for the development of high-technology industries, the growth of innovation ecosystems, and the attraction of strategic investment,” she emphasized.
Mladenova emphasized that Bulgaria already possesses substantial foundational assets in this regard, both in terms of infrastructure and human capital. “The Discoverer supercomputer, which forms part of the EuroHPC network, together with the forthcoming AI Factory BRAIN++ at Sofia Tech Park, will expand the country’s capacity in high-performance computing, artificial intelligence development, and deep-tech solutions, thereby positioning Bulgaria as a regional hub for digital technologies and secure data processing in Southeast Europe,” the Minister of Innovation stated.
She said unequivocally that Europe and Bulgaria possess all the necessary prerequisites to achieve this objective through strategic investment, the development of human capital, and strong public-private partnerships.
The panel discussion placed particular emphasis on the pace of digitalization among businesses and institutions in Bulgaria, as well as on the risks to data security arising from the global geopolitical environment.
Participants in the event were also introduced to new opportunities for digital sovereignty in Europe offered by the digital workplace Workspace by STACKIT, built on Google Workspace and the sovereign STACKIT Cloud, the cloud solution developed by Schwarz Digits.
