Nearly 3,700 signatures were collected in just ten days to support the completion of the spa center in the Harghita resort of Borsec, an investment where 15.5 million RON has been spent so far, but which was halted 3 years ago due to a lack of funds.
The online petition for the completion of the Borsec spa center was initiated by members of the Borsec Youth Forum and the resort’s Tourism Association, while an offline signature collection campaign was launched in parallel.
The online document requests support for the promotion and adoption of a Government Decision that would allow the Harghita County Council to support the town of Borsec by allocating the funds necessary to complete the local spa complex.
The petition states that work on the Borsec spa center began in 2011 and, according to the project, should have been completed in 2014. However, construction work was abandoned at the end of 2012 due to a lack of money.
To date, 15.5 million RON has been spent, with the majority of funds allocated by the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, and the remainder by the Borsec Local Council and the Harghita County Council.
To complete the works, another 15 million RON would be needed. Since state budget funds are unavailable, the Borsec City Hall requested support from the Harghita County Council (CJ). At the CJ’s initiative, a working group was formed, which identified the possibility of obtaining the money through loans.
Mayor Mik Jozsef stated that the Borsec City Hall could access a loan of 5 million RON, while the Harghita CJ would cover the remaining 10 million RON, also obtained through a loan, thereby becoming a co-owner of the investment.
Mayor Mik believes that the spa center would revitalize tourism in the Borsec resort, restoring it to the prestige it enjoyed before 1989, when 6,000 people arrived for treatment every 10 days—the duration of a cure—throughout the entire year.
The spa center consists of a treatment base and a wellness component, with a daily capacity of 1,000 people in summer and 700 people in winter.
The treatment section will offer hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, mud applications, and massage. Visitors will also have access to mofettes, a salt room, weight baths, mineral water baths, and other procedures. The wellness complex includes indoor and outdoor pools, a Finnish sauna, an infra-sauna, and a steam sauna.
So far, the main building structures have been constructed and functionally linked, including the main body, the entrance hall, the locker room area, the indoor leisure pools, the mineral water pools, and the treatment facilities. The investment is currently 50% complete.
The Borsec official claims that due to the suspension of works, there is a risk of structural degradation. The completion of the investment was also recommended in a 2009 report by the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Development Programme, following a national study.
If the Government Decision is approved and the loans for financing are accessed, the spa center, with a built area of over 4,500 square meters, could be completed within one year, making it functional by the autumn of 2016.
The town of Borsec has been known since 1804 and owes its fame to its mineral water resources with rich therapeutic qualities. Borsec received the status of a balneoclimateric resort town in 1953 and was considered the most important in Transylvania, visited by approximately 400,000 tourists annually before 1989. Starting in the 1990s, it declined sharply, eventually being excluded from the national tourism and spa system.
Borsec re-entered the spa circuit in 2012 after the completion and opening of the “O-Saros” bath and has partially regained its status as a resort of local interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the Borsec spa center project halted?
Construction was suspended at the end of 2012 due to a lack of financial resources required to continue the project.
How much funding is needed to finish the center?
An additional investment of approximately 15 million RON is required to complete the construction and equip the facility.
What is the proposed solution for securing the necessary funds?
The local authorities are seeking a Government Decision to allow the Harghita County Council to partner with Borsec City Hall in securing loans to fund the completion.