The Sofia Municipal Council today voted on the draft budget for Sofia for 2026, whose financial framework is around 1.54 billion euros. The agenda also includes the economic framework of public urban transport for next year and the election of a public mediator for the Sofia Municipality.
According to the submitted parameters, the priorities in the budget are infrastructure, the construction and renovation of kindergartens and schools, as well as the development of public transport. The topics are among the most important for the next financial year, because they cover both daily services for Sofia residents and major capital projects.
Where are the capital expenditures going
The Chairman of the SOS Tsvetomir Petrov indicated that the capital expenditures are mainly aimed at completing the metro, repairing streets and underpasses, road safety measures and improving cleanliness in the city. According to him, the capital expenditures amount to just over 300 million euros.
Petrov specified that over 31 million euros are planned for repairing streets and underpasses and for road safety, and about 30 million euros are set aside for better cleanliness of the city. He also noted that the budget also includes funds for educational infrastructure and kindergartens.
The total value of the funds necessary to fulfill the transport task is nearly 330 million euros, Petrov indicated. This places public transport among the main expenditure items in the budget, along with investments in construction and maintenance.
Transport and the Public Mediator
In addition to the city's financial framework, the SOS will also consider the economic framework of public urban transport for 2026. This is a key document for planning costs and organizing the system that serves a large part of Sofia's residents on a daily basis.
At the same meeting, the councilors must also elect a new public mediator of the Sofia Municipality for the term 2026-2031. Four candidates have reached the final stage of the procedure, and the election requires a qualified majority.
“If the required 41 votes are not collected for any of the candidates, the procedure will start over“, said Tsvetomir Petrov. This means that the appointment could be delayed if no candidate receives the necessary support in the hall.
With the vote itself, the SOS will determine not only the framework of Sofia's main expenditures for 2026, but also the direction of several important urban policies at the same time. At the center remain transport, infrastructure and public services, which will be financed next year.
Sources: BNR Novinite