Bulgaria is to select the four cities to host Olympiad 2014, if it wins the bid, in June.

During a meeting with Sofia Mayor Boyko Borisov and Sports Agency Chief Vessela Lecheva on Friday, Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev expressed the full support of the government for the 2014 bid of Sofia.

Regardless of whether Bulgaria wins the host rivalry, big infrastructure projects related to it will be completed anyway, he said. Those included the northern stretch of the Sofia highway belt, Sofia subway extension, Sofia-embracing Lyulin higway and the Struma highway.

The 2014 bid is one of best chances for the capital city to improve its infrastructure, Mayor Borissov said.

The prime minister was positive on the strong push the Olympic 2014 would give the winter tourism and the country as a whole, if Sofia is selected to host the Games.

If Bulgaria is approved during the first selection round on 20 July 2007, the country will provide USD 422 M for capital investment. Part of the funds will come from the private business sector. Others will be funded by the International Olympic Commitee, Sergey Stanishev said.

New sport facilities will be constructed and existing ones will be modernised. Transport, health care and security expenses will come separately. Before July 20 the country will invest USD 7.3 M.

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