The claims that Sofia could lose European funding if it does not draw new routes for vehicles that have not yet been purchased in advance are false and misleading. Andrey Zografski explained to BNT that there is no operational program under which Sofia Municipality can apply, and the proposed report does not contain any justification or analysis necessary for applying for one. The party emphasizes that the Sofia Municipal Council has reached a consensus on key decisions for the modernization of public transport and that they are disappointed with the mayor's passivity.
„In 2024, the Municipal Council voted with an absolute majority for a program to purchase 500 new vehicles. A little later, we also adopted a decision for a loan of 400 million leva, which will provide financing for new trolleybuses, trams and buses. In other words, the council provided both the political will and the financial instrument. The truth is that the councilors from all parties did their job, and the mayor sabotaged the implementation,“ said the municipal councilor from “Save Sofia” Andrey Zografski to BNT.
According to him, the claim that in order to apply for European funding, routes for future vehicles must be drawn in advance does not make sense. “When you buy a car on lease, no one asks you which highway you will drive it on most often in order to lend you the money. It's the same here – first you provide the financing and the vehicles, then you optimize the routes. Everything else is hollow PR, covering up inaction“, commented Zografski.
"Save Sofia" reminds that the decisions to modernize transport were adopted in an extremely fragmented municipal council, which required serious work and negotiations. The program for new vehicles and the negotiations for an investment loan assigned to the mayor were adopted with the votes of all political groups in the city parliament. “When you have 12 municipal councilors out of 61, you can't push through anything alone. Every decision goes through dozens of meetings, arguments and persuasion”. According to him, this impressive majority is not a coincidence - it is the result of Save Sofia doing its job and seeking unity for important policies.
“The coalition supporting the mayor stood behind them, the mayor - not. And now again "Save Sofia" is she guilty of requiring him to fulfill his duties?”, commented Zografski. “And just when we are at the end, he proposes to rewrite the three-year program and return the process to the starting point“, said Zografski.
According to "Save Sofia", Terziev's actions create a risk not only of slowing down modernization, but also of undermining public transport as a strategic sector. “After the garbage crisis, Sofia does not need a new strategic sector, made dependent on private interests. If public transport is weakened, the people of Sofia will pay the price - with more expensive services and worse service“, Zografski warned.
The party also recalls the case of bus line No. 220, adopted by the Municipal Council with full unanimity (without 3 votes from ITN and VMRO), which has been waiting for one signature for more than a year and five months to be launched. “The comfortable travel of tens of thousands of Sofia residents who do not have the luxury of getting into a company car with a driver depends on one signature. People rely on public transport to get to work, school and the doctor. That is why we started a petition - if it does not work with one signature, it will work with many“, Zografski said and called on citizens to be active and demand that the Sofia government fulfill its commitments.
“Politicians are servants of the citizens. When they are not doing the job they were elected to do, people need to step up and say it clearly - either start working or leave. Sofia deserves more and better public transport“, Zografski also stated.
"Save Sofia" emphasize that the citizens of Sofia should not be faced with a false choice between the old models of governance and a new indecision. “We were all glad that GERB no longer governs Sofia, but do we see real change? Are the streets more level, is the city cleaner, is the transport better? Sofia needs real results, not excuses“, Zografski concluded.