“The people did not elect us to win political battles. They elected us to make Sofia a better city to live in.“ With this message, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev took stock of the past political season after the last meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council (SOC) before the summer vacation.
The mayor emphasized that despite the fragmented council and frequent political opposition, the administration has managed to protect key projects for the city. In the past months, marked by working with three different governments and complex economic processes, Sofia has defended important reports that will bring results for decades to come.
Terziev listed several strategic achievements that will have a long-term effect on the quality of life in the capital:
Large-scale water and sanitation investment: Providing sewage for over 31,000 residents – the largest project in this sector in the city's recent history.
Childcare: Unblocking the program for new kindergarten places and transforming three schools into neighborhood centers.
Modern transport: Solutions paving the way for the largest renovation of public transport in the last 15 years.
Waste management: Increasing municipal capacity and reforms in the garbage plant (SPTO), which cut off old schemes.
Investment stability: Protecting the capital program despite the national budget delay.
Green Sofia: Acquisition of strategic properties and progress on the project for the future “Kukuryak“ park.
Mayor Terziev called for a change in the way politics is made in Bulgaria. “If there is one principle that I will always fight for, it is this – politics should be a competition of ideas, not accusations,“ he said.
„I thank the municipal councilors, the district mayors and the teams in the administration, as well as all those who put the interest of Sofia above political convenience.” He stressed that strong institutions are built through systems that work sustainably, regardless of who is in power.
In conclusion, the mayor wished success to the commissions that will conduct competitions for new managements of 53 municipal companies and medical institutions.
„We expect the municipal council again in the fall – with the same energy, but with even greater readiness to argue about ideas, not about personalities. Let's make more headlines with the decisions we make than with the insults we exchange“.