I would define 2025 as a challenging but good year, in which we managed to make significant progress in many areas, said Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev in an interview with BTA on the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Regarding what was accomplished during the year, he said that there are an extremely large and small number of things that he is proud of. Politicians are not elected to complain about how hard life is, but to find solutions. Everyone has enough problems to have to deal with ours, Terziev said. He prefers to explain what is happening in Sofia, rather than playing the role of a victim. It is not my focus to complain every day about the problems I have encountered, but quite the opposite - when I can, I have always expressed gratitude for the good things, the mayor noted. He tries to fix the bad and looks forward, instead of looking for excuses for unfulfilled dreams and unrealized ideas, which, according to Terziev, is the typical political approach in Bulgaria. If you are better - show it, said the mayor of Sofia.
Among the achievements made during the year, Vasil Terziev highlighted 1,000 new places in kindergartens, renovation of the transport infrastructure, construction of the metro, laying 110,000 sq m of road markings, new 200,000 sq m of sidewalks, preparation of water and sanitation projects for 150 million leva, laying over 93,000 sq m of new sidewalks, creation of a model of public-private partnerships for the construction of parking lots, replacement of 35% of the lighting works in the city, 71% completed or in the process of implementation of civil projects within the framework of the "Ideas for the City" initiative.
Terziev wishes Sofia residents health and positivity on the occasion of the holidays. He believes that we should remind ourselves as a society what brings us together. According to him, whatever challenges we have, when we join forces, we can achieve miracles for the neighborhood, the city, the country. We are much stronger when we work together and our focus is not on past shortcomings, but on building a better future for us and our children, said Mayor Terziev.
What have you achieved for the city in the outgoing year of 2025?
- In the field of education, thanks to our efforts, over 1,000 new places in kindergartens were opened. Another 1,500 places are about to be added to them. 15 kindergartens are being built, the construction of another nine is about to begin, 10 kindergartens are being designed. We are working very ambitiously and motivatedly to solve the problem of places in kindergartens, with our goal being that no child is left without care.
In 2025, we made progress with the projects for schoolyards and solving the problem of the two-shift regime. We already have five completed projects, which include the construction of classrooms and the improvement of schoolyards with new sports facilities and greenery. The first five projects are already ready, next year we will design schoolyards for 10 more schools.
In the field of transport infrastructure, our priority during the year was everything related to urban transport systems - metro, tram routes, lighting, rehabilitation of the road network and creating all the prerequisites for having effective urban transport.
The second major topic during the year is everything related to transport and the construction of the metro. Currently, 10 metro stations are being built, another five stations are being designed to "Studentski Grad", and there are conceptual designs for another five. A contractor is to be selected and next year - work will begin on the two sections "Tsaritsa Yoana" to "Lyulin". This includes not only the construction of the metro, but also an entirely new multi-lane roadway.
During the year, we implemented a number of important projects for the city, such as the bridge at "Bakerena Fabrika", "Opalchenska" Stamboliyski Blvd., which is almost ready. A few days ago, the newly built two-kilometer extension of "Rozhen" Blvd. was put into operation, which will allow for a 5-minute journey from the railway overpass in "Nadezhda" to the Northern Expressway. This will allow for better connectivity of the northern regions of the city and direct access to the national road network.
A lot of work has been done on the design of repairs that will begin to be implemented next year, such as the renovation of the boulevards "Maria Luiza", "Copenhagen", "Skobelev", "Hristo Botev".
In the Water and Sewerage sector, an important topic during the year was the preparation of new projects for over 150 million leva for the construction of sewage systems in eight districts of Sofia. The goal is to connect 31,000 residents to the sewage system by May 2029, and at the same time to renew their old water pipes. The projects are for over 150 million leva of funding under the "Environment" Program 2021 - 2027. We managed to complete the sewerage project in the "Dragalevtsi" district this year, which was extremely challenging, and we used all the lessons learned from there to prepare for the completion of the sewerage network in the "Simeonovo" district, which begins next year.
In 2025, 110,000 sq. m of road markings were laid, which is double the amount in 2024 and about 50% above the average annual level for previous years. Investing in road markings is an investment in people's health and lives. It is among the simplest, but also among the most important road safety tools. By October of this year, the markings of about 385 schools and kindergartens in all districts of Sofia had been renewed - on adjacent streets, pedestrian paths and traffic management zones. These are targeted measures that make the environment around educational institutions safer for children and their parents.
Another thing we managed to do during the year is to shape a model according to which we intend to implement parking lots. Contrary to the accusations that we do not like parking lots, we actually want them to be built, but we simply had different views on what the Municipality should do with its own funds and where we can engage private capital so that dozens of parking lots can appear in the city in the form of public-private partnerships. The projects for the first nine are a fact, a number more are in the preparatory stage and we hope, after the development of an economic financial analysis, that they will be moved forward as procedures as quickly as possible in the first months of 2026.
The city does not have unlimited funding and the question that has always been before me is what type of objects should be implemented in the form of a public-private partnership, so that we do not have to pay for everything, but at the same time projects of public importance can be implemented quickly and qualitatively. The first two categories that we are focused on are parking lots and sports facilities. We are betting on the combination of investment plus a long-term operator, and it is very important to note that after the end of the concession or other chosen form of partnership, these objects remain the property of the municipality. And during this time, if it is a concession, we also receive a concession fee. That is, these are sites that not only would not cost the municipality money, but would contribute to the municipality's budget and with these funds we could hold other public events.
The other thing that is of utmost importance to us is the green systems and the development of parks. Despite the appeals, we are moving forward with the implementation of the park in "Mladost", which is the first park in decades to be built there. We have also made progress with the construction of "Kukuryak" park, and we are also working on "Lyulin Garden" in the "Lyulin" residential area. The city has several assets that we must not only take into account, but also preserve - the mountains, rivers, mineral water and the abundance of greenery.
We have also given impetus to another major project - the "green city ring". A lot of work is currently underway on the first sections and we hope that practical implementation will begin by the end of 2026, which would be an extremely big breakthrough for the city.
I would also like to note our efforts for Vitosha - another sore point for Sofia residents. We have developed a conceptual design for a buffer parking lot in the "Dragalevtsi" district, a conceptual design for the lift in "Knyazhevo" and its extension, work on everything related to the Simeonovski lift, such as procedures and preparation for the future construction of the transport hub, which would allow many types of public transport to terminate there, have a huge buffer parking lot and reduce and even eliminate the need to go by car to Vitosha. But there are many other institutions that are involved.
Edits and feedback gathering based on public discussion and future adjustments to the Management Plan are forthcoming, and legal changes are needed. We are working with all institutions. We wrote a memorandum that we shared with all interested parties. Although this is not a formal document with any resulting obligations, my goal is to publicly show that we are committed to implementing this very important project for the connectivity of Vitosha.
During the year, forest trails on Vitosha were improved, markings and signs were installed, and there were numerous programs for children, thanks to which thousands of children were able to spend days filled with many activities in the mountains. We improved some parking lots, such as those in front of the National History Museum, so work is actively underway there and improvements are constantly being made.
A big focus during the year was the urban environment. We managed to replace the lighting on dozens of underpasses, clean them of scribbles and "ennoble" them with graffiti. And currently, work is underway on several underpasses that have been extremely neglected for years on "Bulgaria" Blvd., as well as in "Poduyane". The lighting in the underpass on "Gurko" St. and "Vasil Levski" Blvd. was replaced. We can boast of replacing 35% of the lighting works in the city.
200,000 sq. m. of sidewalks have been renovated by the end of 2025, which is a record. We will continue this program in the coming years.
Another thing I am very proud of is the program for citizen budgets - over 72% of the projects have been fully implemented or are in the process of being completed. This year we had a record number of new projects, a record number of votes - 24,367. For next year, we have planned to increase funding so that citizens can really feel this shortening of the distance between the Municipality and the person. This is a central topic, albeit one of the more invisible ones.
What are the mistakes you made, and what lessons did you learn?
- I try not to dramatize mistakes. I have told my team many times that I am not bothered by mistakes, as long as they are not too big and fatal, especially those that affect citizens. Rather, for me, everything is a lesson and what I do not want to see are failures. When we have made mistakes, the right thing to do is to honestly admit them to ourselves, to see why they happened and what we will change so that we do not repeat them. Fortunately, everyone on the team is very motivated, they learn quickly and I think this is a very important part of changing the culture - not to sweep mistakes under the carpet. I use every mistake or problem to look for a more systematic solution.
In the two years since you have been at the head of the Municipality, have many people left your team? How would you explain this?
- Everyone who has been through this administration has made their contribution, but my goal is to create a well-functioning machine in which no one person is irreplaceable. Rather, everyone contributes to this complex organism working well. And regardless of whether they go on vacation or sick leave, the system continues to work without "loss of signal". The goal is not to rely on individual heroism, but on team skills and on everything remaining in the form of a well-functioning organization, because one of our goals is, regardless of who and when becomes mayor of Sofia after me, to inherit an extremely orderly, well-functioning, clear and understandable structure.
Are you a good team now?
- Everything related to people is a constant work in progress and I do not think that personnel changes will end with what has happened so far. In the end, some people cannot stand it, others cannot cope. There are a number of reasons why someone decides to leave or is asked to do so, but in the end, each one has managed to leave some kind of mark. The search for the best possible ways to realize our ideas continues. That is why I am happy that the new structure of the Municipality was adopted, which I hope will allow us to work even more effectively and create benefits for this city.
Crisis after crisis has marked your administration - does this make you regret becoming mayor of Sofia?
- I do not regret it for a moment. In fact, right now I am much more motivated, happy, with a much greater desire to work than a year or two ago, because I now know the problems in depth. I understand the interrelationships between the problems, the possible solutions, the different policies that would help the path to them. I know the cost of a given solution. I have an understanding of the solutions and tools for solving problems such as people, processes, systems, programs, budget. That's why I haven't stopped being optimistic about everything that comes in the next two years.
Is the role of a politician difficult for you?
- Over the past decades, my work has always been related to people. I'm used to constantly solving problems, dealing with conflicting points of view, finding solutions, being an arbitrator and seeking dialogue and consensus. This helps me a lot now. It's just that the environment is different, more challenging. The political context makes it very difficult to build on the purely pragmatic, when we all know what the right solution for the city is, but we don't know how to package it in the right political messages and decisions.
Politicians are not elected to complain about how hard life is. Everyone has enough problems for us to have to deal with our own. We are elected to find solutions. So I educate people about what's going on, but I've never felt like a victim and I've never had any expectations that I should be supported and understood.
For me, this is a motivation to put even more effort into better ideas and finding support, no matter how difficult it is to justify people's trust. I did not have the wrong expectations. I am used to when something has to be done, it has to be done. This is evident from my attitude towards the previous administration of the Sofia Municipality. It is not my focus to complain every day about the problems I have encountered, on the contrary - when I can, I have always expressed gratitude for the good things, and I try to fix the bad. I look forward, instead of looking for excuses for unfulfilled dreams and unrealized ideas, which is the typical political approach in Bulgaria.
What are your goals for the next year?
- "Untying the knot" with Vitosha, launching the process for the comprehensive analysis of "Toplofikatsiya Sofia", which will provide direction on what is the most correct solution to have a well-functioning, financially stable company. Everything related to education, the green system, large infrastructure projects and improvements in transport. To purchase new trolleys, buses, trams and build a better service. Everything related to the digitalization of the municipality.
Will the estimates in the budget of the Sofia Municipality for 2026 change after the fall of the government and the lack of a regular budget for next year?
- We are looking for political agreement on what the budget of Sofia should look like. What directly concerns us is everything related to transport and the program for supporting municipalities. There is a reluctance of the state to pay us for work already done, so we do not have high expectations that anything can change. We do not rely on the state. We sent a letter to the government, describing the situation and the need for the state to intervene so that there are no more problems. But there is a nearly 140 million leva "hole" in the economic framework of public transport and this requires a much greater commitment from the state.
What do you wish Sofia residents for Christmas and New Year?
- May they be healthy, positive and remind ourselves as a society of what unites us. Whatever challenges we have, when we join forces, we can achieve miracles for the neighborhood, the city, the country. We are much stronger when we work together and our focus is not on past shortcomings, but on building a better future for ourselves and our children.