SOFIA, May 14, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX News Network) -- The United States will invest a total of 66.5 million U.S. dollars in refurbishment of Bulgarian military facilities which will be jointly used by the U.S. and the Bulgarian army, local press reported Wednesday citing U.S. deputy chief of mission here Alexander Karagiannis. 

Karagiannis was speaking at an information forum on the joint use of military facilities. He said that the two sides will sign two agreements, one for temporary and one for permanent facilities. 

The first contract for the joint facilities was won Wednesday by a German company in cooperation with a local company. It is for 6.5 million dollars and includes work on temporary facilities, mostly tents. The chief subcontractor is a Bulgarian company. 

The tender procedure for the permanent facilities is still open and the winner will be clear in September. Karagiannis explained that this procedure concerns barracks, sanitary facilities, canteens and others. 

Karayanis said that U.S. servicemen will start arriving here for various drills from the end of this summer. The first batch will be of 900 U.S. service persons who will hold joint exercises with some 100 Bulgarian soldiers for four to six weeks.