The Sofia Public Mineral Baths will be turned into a museum and a SPA center in two years' time.

The announcement came after Wednesday's signing of a contract for funding granted under the Operational Program Regional Development for the implementation of the project.

The contract was signed by Regional Development Minister Lilyana Pavlova and Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

The building will be renovated and repaired with BGN 5.6 M under the OP Regional Development and BGN 300 000 from the budget of the Sofia Municipality.

Fandakova told journalists that the Sofia Municipality would allocate another BGN 2 M for museum exhibits.

The project includes the construction of exhibit space on three levels and exhibit storage facilities for the 120 000-plus items on display that come from all periods of the city's history.

The concession contract paving the way for the conversion of one part of the Public Mineral Baths into a spa center has already been prepared.

"We hope that candidates will show up this time. We are trying to attract investors so that Sofia citizens can enjoy this city attraction , Fandakova said.

"A proposal for granting the Public Mineral Baths under concession will be submitted with the Sofia Municipal Council's commissions within 10 days. Several scenarios have been prepared, but the contract will most likely be for 30 years and the investor will be paying a fee of up to EUR 200 000 per year. The concessionaire has no right to change the fa?ade because the building is a cultural monument," said Irina Savina, Deputy Mayor for Investments and Construction, as cited by Monitor daily.

This will be the third attempt to grant the Sofia Public Mineral Baths under concession after the 2008 project of the Sofia Municipality for turning the building into a medical and spa center failed to attract candidates and the 2010 plans to call a new tender with less stringent conditions came to nothing.

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