The Bulgarian Ministry of Culture has announced five contracts awarded under the EU-funded Regional Development operational program.

The contracting parties are the Cultural Ministry and the Ministry of Regional Development. Between them, they will receive a total of almost BGN 10,77 M.

The funds are intended for five cultural institutions in Bulgaria.

The National Museum of Bulgarian Art is to undergo extensive renovation and reorganization at a cost of BGN 3,6 M. Reconstruction is scheduled to begin in three months’ time, according to the Culture Minister, Vejdi Rashidov.

According to Rashidov, reconstruction will begin in about 3 months. It is not yet clear whether the building will be closed during the period of repair, but the Minister warned that it was in "a deplorable condition, to put it mildly".

The Ruse Opera House will be modernized to the tune of BGN 1,87 M, and the main stage of Varna's St Bavcharov Theater will be upgraded, with a grant of BGN 4,27 M.

In Plovdiv, the premises of the National School of Music and Dance "Dobrin Petkov" will be modernized under the operational program, receiving some BGN 726 000.

Almost BGN 1 M has been allocated for repairs to the Professional School of Polygraphy and Photography in Sofia.

Rosen Plevneliev, Regional Development Minister, expressed his satisfaction with the allocation of funds under the program, which he described as "extremely significant and important because it's the only one which, apart from hospitals, can also finance cultural sites".

The total amount of the program, the minister noted, is up to BGN 28,7 M, of which BGN 14,5 M had been committed to date.

Plevneliev was confident that Bulgaria would be able to take advantage of the remaining amount, pointing out that the deadline for allocation is March 31, 2010.

The Regional Development Minister also announced that the Naval Academy, situated on the island of Sts Kirik and Julita off the Black Sea resort of Sozopol, would be transferred to the Ministry of Culture, and transformed into an archaeological museum.

This was as important a project as the building of the Trakiya Highway, according to Rosen Pleveneliev, who added that proposals for the development of cultural tourism on the island would be drawn up.

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