site.btaPM Zhelyazkov Says BGN 15 Mln Will Be Reallocated from Central Budget to Sofia Municipality to Resolve Public Transport Crisis

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov Monday said that the government would allocate BGN 15 million to Sofia Municipality to resolve the ongoing public transport crisis in Sofia. Normal service is expected to resume on Tuesday, he added as quoted by the Government Information Service. Zhelyazkov spoke following meetings with Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev and representatives from the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria and Podkrepa Confederation of Labour. Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova also took part in the talks.

“We proposed a reallocation of resources from the central budget,” Zhelyazkov said in the presence of Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova, GERB leader Boyko Borissov and municipal councillors. His statement was broadcast live on Borissov's Facebook page.

“What we saw in the city was that the residents of the capital, their families, their children, had been held hostage due to a breakdown in dialogue over issues that go beyond salaries,” Zhelyazkov added. He noted “this is about the future of public transport, the operating model of the companies involved, process optimization, and social dialogue.” “It is not the job of the State to interfere in processes that are of a communal nature, but these developments necessitated my holding these talks today,” the Prime Minister added.

Zhelyazkov noted that the promised funds would come at the expense of other budget items. He added that with an agreement aligned with Sofia Municipality and an agreement with the mayor, these funds should meet the system’s needs for this year and allow services to resume on Tuesday. 

“I understand the mayor's concerns over the need for sustainable solutions. But it is not the State that should be tasked with this, but the municipality. I hope that from 2026 onward, the necessary approach will be found to prevent this crisis in the city from continuing,” Zhelyazkov said. 

“We were assured that following this move on the government’s part, the trade unions will convince their members to restore the normal functioning of Sofia’s public transport starting tomorrow,” the Prime Minister added.