Protest in Support of Sofia Mayor Held amid Ongoing Public Transport Strike

Marin Kolev, Yoana Vodenicharova

A snapshot of the protest in support of Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev (BTA Photo/Blagoy Kirilov)

Sofia,

19.05.2025 19:14

(BTA)

A protest in support of Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev took place outside the Sofia Municipality building on Monday, amid the ongoing strike of the above-ground public transport system in the capital. The protest was held under the slogan "Support for Sofia Mayor in the Face of the Mafia".

“No one should suffer for wanting change in their city. No one should suffer for exercising their right to free choice. Yet we are suffering for the benefit of certain economic and political interests," representatives of the protest organizers addressed the crowd at the event. They said the mayor had been elected fairly by the citizens and if anyone were to remove him from office, it should be them - if they are no longer satisfied with his performance.

Speaking to reporters, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-leader Kiril Petkov said: “GERB created a problem. They tried to pressure the mayor, but he did not give in. GERB set a vise trap – no state funding from above, sabotage from the municipal council below, and the Mayor squeezed in the middle. It did not work.”

Asked where the announced BGN 15 million for public transport would come from, Petkov said that it would come from taxes, adding that “that is GERB’s way”.

“The Mayor does not have the support of the Municipal Council. The people of Sofia are the only ones standing behind Terziev. When he did not budge and said he would not give in to extortion, they respected him for it. This is what really matters,” Petkov added.

The CC-DB co-leader said that while some transport workers do have problems, the protest is being used for political purposes.

The protest continued as a march, ending outside the presidential building.

/DS/