site.btaRegional Development Ministry Dismisses Sofia Mayor's Criticism over Delayed Payments

The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works Friday responded to criticism by Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev, who accused the ministry of delaying payments for a municipal financing program in what he believes to be "political games". The Мinistry clarified that the Sofia City Hall has made several changes to its submitted projects, necessitating updates to the documentation, which has contributed to the delays.

Regarding one specific case mentioned by the Mayor - for reconstruction of a central Sofia street - the Ministry pointed out that the project is currently under an audit for irregularities by multiple institutions, legally obliging the ministry to suspend any financial transfers for it.

The Ministry also addressed another key issue which it said the Mayor had "forgot to mention": the national building retrofitting programme, also managed by the ministry. In 2023, an advance payment of BGN 16.1 million was transferred to Sofia for the renovation of 23 residential buildings. However, the municipality missed the original deadline for selecting contractors in 2024 and requested an extension, which was granted (until June 1, 2025). As of now, six buildings still have no selected contractors, and for four others, contractors were chosen after the deadline, placing the entire renovation project — worth nearly BGN 54 million — at risk.

The ministry underscored that delays in contractor selection and documentation issues lie with the municipality and urged local authorities to accelerate the necessary procedures to prevent further risks to project implementation.