April 7, 2016. The JINR Days in Bulgaria, the founder country of JINR, dedicated to the 60th Anniversary of JINR, were opened in the Museum of Human and Nature with welcoming words of the Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria at JINR, Dr. Latchesar Kostov.

The exhibition that was opened this day was devoted to the сollaboration history of JINR and Bulgaria, cooperation milestones, key people and ongoing projects. All the demonstrated items show intensive progress and are aimed at attracting new fresh and anxious brains.

The film devoted to collaboration of JINR and Bulgaria made for the FIRST national channel of Bulgaria by Bulgarian journalist Maria Cherneva was presented. Maria gave a welcome speech for participants of the event.

April 8, 2016. The festive events continued in the Central Military Club in Sofia where the official and scientific sessions took place.

Among the guests there were Ambassadors of Egypt, Kazakhstan, Poland and Slovakia and representatives of Embassies of Azerbaijan, Belarus, France, Russia and Vietnam. The participants of the event were welcomed by the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Agency and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Bulgaria at JINR Dr. Latchesar Kostov. The JINR Director Academician Victor Matveev addressed the audience and made a presentation on recent achievements and future plans of the Institute. Professor Chavdar Stoyanov reported on the “Bulgarian Way to the Advanced Nuclear Science”.

In recognition of substantial contribution to cooperation between Bulgaria and JINR Bulgarian scientists L.Kostov, N.Angelov, J.Brankov, P.Fiziev were awarded honorary signs. Bulgarian teachers of physics T.Teodosiev, T.Ivanova M.Jijova, P.Kostadinova, K.Perfanova were awarded for their achievements in teaching.

At the scientific session reports were delivered by Michail Itkis (“Properties of Superheavy Nuclei at the Stability Border”), Dimitr Tonev (“Present and future projects of INRNE-BAS in collaboration with JINR”), Samuil Bilenky (“Neutrino in Dubna”), Viktor Voronov (“Collaboration between the Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and the Bulgarian Institutions”) and Leandr Litov (“JINR and Bulgarian High Energy Physics”).

During the second part of the scientific session, Directors of JINR laboratories V.Kekelidze, V.Korenkov and V.Shvetsov made presentations on the prior laboratories’ projects: “Physics at NICA”, “Computing and Big Data” and “Neutron Scattering for Condensed Matter Studies and Nuclear Physics at Pulsed Neutron Sources”. D.Vladikova from IEES-BAS gave a talk on the “Application of BaCe 0,85Y 0.1502.925 in an Innovative Design of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell”.

In the frames of the visit JINR Director V.Matveev and Vice-Directors M.Itkis and G.Trubnikov together with Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria at JINR Dr. L.Kostov had a meeting with Director of the “Nauka” Department of the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science. At the meeting the present day cooperation and future plans as well as opening of special Bulgarian fund for NICA project were discussed. The meeting has been estimated as a very productive and promising one.

9 April 2016. President of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Academician Stefan Vodenicharov welcomed JINR delegation led by Academician Victor Matveev. The awarding ceremony was attended by Associated Professor Dr. Dimitar Tonev, Director of the Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, and BAS Corresponding Member Chavdar Stoyanov.

Academician Vodenicharov awarded Professor Mikhail Itkis the honorary award “Marin Drinov” with ribbon for his contributions to the study of the mechanisms for obtaining superheavy elements and also for his contribution to development of cooperation between BAS and JINR. Professor Victor Voronov was awarded the honorary sign of BAS “For Services to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences” for his contribution in the fields of theoretical nuclear physics, as well as to development of cooperation between BAS and JINR.

The JINR Days in Bulgaria were held in a friendliest atmosphere, motivating scientists at JINR move towards new future successful results.