Soviet-era limos offered for sale in Bulgaria

SOFIA (Reuters) - Communist-era luxury cars, once used by Bulgaria's elite and by visiting dignitaries, will be auctioned in Sofia next week, officials said on Wednesday.

The sale of 20 Soviet-built Chaikas, one of the world's most exclusive cars, have drawn interest from Germany, Austria and Russia, said the national guard service which owns the vehicles.

"All head of states and prime ministers who visited Bulgaria from the late 1960s to 1990 were given a lift in those cars," said Zlati Raikov, head of the guard service's garage.

Among the famous passengers in the black, lace-curtained limousines were Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to fly in space in 1963.

The starting price at next Monday's auction is set at 23,000 levs ($18,500) for the better preserved cars, Raikov said.

The Chaikas, which were fitted with Persian carpets and electronic luxury features, are laden with chrome and each one weights about 2 tonnes.

The auction is part of a decision of the former secret police garage to sell off its fleet of Soviet-era cars.

More modest Soviet-made Volga and Lada saloon models will also be offered for sale.

(Reporting by Anna Mudeva; Editing by Matthew Jones)