Yanko Apostolov, a Bulgarian architect, living in New York, has been selected as winner in the public tender for the new museum complex in the capital Sofia, known as the Bulgarian Louvre, the culture ministry announced.

"Bulgaria deserves a first-class museum, which help it put the Bulgarian art on the world map," Aposotol, who did not attend the opening of bids on Friday, wrote in a letter to the Union of Architects in Bulgaria.

"Every architect wants to see his project implemented, the money he pockets is not that important," Sofia chief architect Petar Dikov, who presided the jury, commented.

The decision to build the new cultural complex, which is located in the very heart of the capital Sofia, adjacent to the "Alexander Nevski" Cathedral, was made at the end of 2009, while in mid-April, Bulgarian state leaders broke ground of the construction site.

The government is investing BGN 20 M in the museum, joining together the building of the National Gallery for Foreign Art, and an old building formerly used by the Sofia Technical University. Some BGN 2.5 M of the funds for the reconstruction and construction will come from the EU Regional Development Operational Program.

In December, Culture Minister, Vezhdi Rashidov, said the 24 000 square-meter museum will be designed as project of architect, Vladislav Nikolov, approved by the former socialist-led cabinet for BGN 1.8 M financing under the EU Operational Program, but later the Culture Ministry explained the Public Tender Act requires a competition and that Nikolov can participate if he wishes.