site.btaSurface Public Transport in Sofia Remains Suspended on Monday, Metro Operational

Surface public transport in Sofia will remain suspended on Monday, the municipal authorities said. For the sixth consecutive day, buses, trams and trolleybuses in Bulgaria’s capital did not leave their depots due to the ongoing protest of surface public transport workers.

The strike, which began on May 14, will continue until the demands of the workers are met, trade union representatives said. They are protesting for a BGN 400 pay rise from March 1, 2025, as well as for the provision of sanitary facilities and toilets, improved lighting, heating and work uniform. The demands also include an increase in the cost of overheads for meals from BGN 15 to BGN 20 from March 1, 2025.

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev invited the protesters to negotiate at the Sofia City Hall at 8:00 a.m. on Monday but only on the condition that surface transport services are resumed. “I see no reason to talk to people who are holding an entire city hostage,” Terziev warned on Sunday.

However, the Federation of Transport Trade Unions at the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) said no formal invitation had been received from the mayor for talks at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. They added this was only mentioned in his media appearances. The union’s negotiating team will appear in front of the Sofia City Hall at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, expecting the dialogue to continue.