On a state visit to Israel, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev became the first world leader to visit Israel’s national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Beersheba, The Times of Israel reported Thursday.

Radev and other Bulgarian officials and businessmen discussed cooperation in the area of cybersecurity with their Israeli counterparts.

The head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, Yigal Unna, described how the facility operated, how it cooperates with other cybersecurity authorities in Israel, and how his organization met the challenges of the most immediate cybersecurity threats to the Bulgarian delegation.

The visit was part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s effort to expand cooperation between Israel and Eastern and Central European nations.

The Bulgarians toured the CERT facility, which also houses Israel’s National Cyber ​​Security Center; the Government Security Operations Center, which protects government agencies; and the Cyber ​​Center and financial continuity department, which works together with both the finance and energy ministries.

They also visited Beersheba’s cyber park, which operates in conjunction with Israel’s national CERT, Ben Gurion University and about 20 companies involved in cybersecurity.

While greeting Radev on Thursday, Netanyahu mentioned the strong ties Israel has with Bulgaria, and mentioned the president’s visit to Beersheba. “Israel is at the forefront of all this scientific research and technological know-how,” Netanyahu told Radev. “We’re eager to share it with our friends. You are our friends, we share with you the past, a vibrant present and unbelievable future.”

After congratulating Israel on its 70th birthday, Radev expressed interest in the promise of Israel’s high-tech accomplishments, “We are deeply interested to take the Israeli example to build a society that is both socially engaged and integrated. I mean basically the hi-tech, I mean the cyber security, and science and education.”

[Photo: IsraeliPM / YouTube]