„I do not know why the debate revolves around these 15 million. The demands of the unions were clear - to increase salaries by 400 leva from the beginning of the year. They agreed to 300 leva from the beginning of April. These 300 leva from April 1 mean about 30 million more in the Salary Fund in the four transport companies. These 15 million are only part of solving the problem.“
This was stated in the program „Face to Face“ municipal councilor and leader of BSP-Sofia Ivan Takov, who is also the chairman of the Transport and Road Safety Committee in the Sofia Municipal Council (SOC).
„There is a shortage of over 350 drivers in public transport, and there is also a shortage of mechanics, for example. I am the chairman of the transport committee in the SOC and I have not participated in the negotiations“, Takov also said.
He explained that the economic framework will distribute these 15 million leva, and the framework itself is prepared by the mayor and must be submitted with the budget for the year.
„The 15 million are for everyone, even for the administration. How they will be distributed is decided by the economic framework for public transport“, Takov explained.
„I partially understand Vasil Terziev and I will tell you why. Every lev that is given in excess for salaries of transport workers, nurses and other employees is a lev less than its investment program. I understand it, because our commitment was “protection of the working Sofian“. Not only the people who work in public transport, but also the people who use it“, added Takov.
According to him, during the strike of public transport employees in Sofia, the directors of transport companies negotiated with their employees.
“There was tension in public transport when Yordanka Fandakova was mayor, but there was no blockade of the capital and municipal councilors participated in the negotiations. Now no one has been invited, and negotiations with the unions have been led for months only by Terziev's team," explained the municipal councilor.
According to Ivan Takov, the municipal councilors saved the situation and added that the capital's budget had funds to cover the unions' demands for a 400 leva salary increase.
The leader of BSP-Sofia believes that the state should help, but in this case the Sofia City Council could cover the costs.