Department of Information Technology

In the afternoon of June 7, Deputy Lin Yi-hua, Information Technology Commissioner Jack Chao, and city officials from Taipei City Government met with Deputy Mayor Gencho Kerezov of Sofia Municipality in Bulgaria via online conference. The two sides touched on topics that will likely open up a wide range of future collaboration and exchange opportunities.

This is the first time for the two deputy mayors to meet virtually, setting a new milestone for future interactions between the two cities. The meeting began with addresses by the deputy mayors, followed by presentations from both sides on smart city and commerce. The two cities also discussed topics ranging from possible exchanges to the scope of future collaboration.

Deputy Mayor Lin mentioned areas such as smart cities, startup industry, medical care and education and culture as concrete topics for exchanges and collaboration. She hopes that by learning from each other, the two municipalities will be able to create a better environment for their respective residents in the fields of healthcare and social welfare. She also invited Deputy Mayor Kerezov and Sofia’s newly elected mayor to attend the 2024 Smart City Expo and Mayors’ Summit.

Deputy Mayor Kerezov said that he is honored to meet Lin and have heard much about Taipei’s achievements in the area of information technology. The primary purpose of the meeting is to learn from Taipei City and to share Sophia’s experience in the fields of smart city and investment. Kerezov stressed that he will encourage Sophia’s city agencies to communicate with counterparts in Taipei. He also looks forward to attending the Smart City Expo next year.

Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria. It is the political, cultural, educational, and financial center of the nation. The rich history of Bulgaria can be seen from its unique culture which incorporates elements from entities spanning the Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire. It is not unusual to uncover archaeological findings dating back to the Roman period as the city carried out the construction of its subways over the years. Sophia took almost three decades to complete its mass transit network.