Buses, trams and trolleybuses will not operate in Sofia for another day due to the protest of the employees in the ground public transport, the Sofia Municipality announced, BTA reported. The metro, however, continues to operate with normal working hours for a Sunday.
In connection with the holding of “Like Two Drops of Water: The Final” - May 18 from 7:00 p.m., at the “Vasil Levski” National Stadium, on Sunday evening the metro will operate with extended working hours - until 1:30 a.m. (compared to Monday).
The drivers' protest began on May 14 and will continue until the employees' demands are met, the unions announced. They are protesting for a salary increase of 400 leva. from 01.03.2025, as well as for the provision of sanitary premises and toilets, improvement of lighting, heating and work uniforms. Among the demands are also an increase in the cost of food from 15 leva to 20 leva, effective from 01.03.2025.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Education and Science and the Mayor of Sofia Vasil Terziev assured that options are being sought and work is being done to ensure the transportation of students and questas for the matriculation exams, which are due next week, in the event that the protest of the workers in the capital's public transport continues and ground transport does not move.
On the initiative of Minister Krasimir Valchev, a headquarters was formed on May 16 in connection with the situation with transport in Sofia and the upcoming matriculation exams, the press center of the ministry announced. By yesterday, 54 school buses with a total of 1,388 seats were mobilized from the districts of Lovech, Kyustendil, Sofia-region, etc., and their number is expected to increase to 60 (with a total of over 1,500 seats) by Wednesday. The Sofia Municipality declared yesterday that it would mobilize all its resources to participate in ensuring the smooth movement of young people who need to get to their exams on time, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev announced on his Facebook page.
Meanwhile, private taxi companies on social networks are offering free transportation for high school graduates. Dozens of people, united in the Facebook group "Shared ride in the city of Sofia", are offering transportation for the high school exams on May 21 and 23. The problems in transportation provoked citizens to create the initiative "Raise your hand at the stop", with which citizens look for, and others stop, to offer transportation.