Sofia cannot become one big paid parking lot. This was stated to the Bulgarian National Radio by the chairman of the transport committee in the Sofia Municipal Council, Ivan Takov, who was categorical that parking in Sofia will become more expensive.
"What is currently being proposed means more than doubling the expansion of the blue and green zones, extending the operating range, including the blue zone will also be open on Sundays, and doubling all parking prices. This is the proposal. Yesterday there was an extraordinary meeting of 3 committees – transport, financial and regulatory, it was adopted in all three committees", he specified.
The Bulgarian Social Democratic Party is against the aimless expansion of the zones, declared Takov in an interview for the program "Predi visi". According to him, the parking infrastructure should be improved by building parking lots, and not by increasing the zones. According to him, however, we are very far from such a goal.
"First, all possible options had to be exhausted - by building parking lots, thereby making public transport much more convenient and more regular. I really wanted to exhaust the other options first, and then start with the "punitive action" again against the citizens of Sofia", the municipal councilor believes.
According to him, there is no political will to increase the number of parking spaces.
Takov also reminded that from December 1st, the so-called low-emission zone will come into effect:
"However, now not only with a narrow, but also with a wide ring. In the narrow ring, cars from the first and second categories cannot enter. In the wide ring, which covers far more than the central part of the city, cars from the first category cannot enter. This is another segregation. If you have money to buy a new car, then you can enter Sofia during the winter months. If you have money, you can afford to park in the center of Sofia, if you don't - you can't".
He pointed out that cars are in fifth place as an air pollutant in Sofia. According to him, there are many other measures that can be implemented during the winter months that are much more effective than restricting the entry of cars into the center of Sofia. According to him, "soft measures" should be implemented first, such as more frequent street washing.
Ivan Takov said that the statement of the capital's mayor Vasil Terziev that there are no subsidies for public transport in the budget for next year is not true.