The lack of a majority behind Mayor Vasil Terziev in the Sofia Municipal Council led to a hard-to-explain blocking of a report whose purpose is to put more order in the repairs in Sofia and improve coordination with the operating companies - "Toplofikatsia", "Sofia voda" etc., with the municipal company "Metropolitan", with telecoms, "Now" reported.
The groups of GERB, BSP, ITN and the breakaways from "Vazrazhdane" stopped the adoption of a program for the construction, reconstruction and repair of municipal facilities for 2024, proposed by the Deputy Mayor for Construction Ivan Matov. PP/DB/"Save Sofia", which support Terziev, "Sinya Sofia" voted for its adoption. of Prof. Vili Lilkov and "Revival", but their votes were not enough.
The program lists the investment intentions of the Capital Municipality, the regional administrations, as well as the planned events of 7 companies that have infrastructure networks on municipal territory. The list includes 560 sections of streets and boulevards on which sidewalks are to be replaced and built in 2024, as well as other large-scale projects - restoration of lighting in the Hippodrome park, the extension of Opalchenska St. between "Stamboliyski" Blvd. and "Slivnitsa" Blvd., the reconstruction of the tracks on "Stamboliyski" Blvd. in "West Park" and about 380 other objects.
"The program is a coordination effort between the various participants in the construction process. The task is for them to present their plans in advance and to be familiar with the plans of the others. We want the companies to be aware of the upcoming repairs that the municipality and the regions are planning in order to comply with their intentions. The list is indicative and objects can enter and exit it. They will also be considered by a commission in which all interested parties participate", explained Matov.
He added that the rejection of the program will bring problems, above all, to the utility companies, which will have difficulties in carrying out their planned repairs. "If we don't accept it, for example ERM "West" will not be able to carry out planned cable repairs in Bankya, and in the same area "Sofiiska voda" he will not be able to replace the water supply system", pointed out Simeon Stavrev from PP/DB/"Save Sofia". His colleague Stefan Spasov called on GERB, BSP and ITN to give suggestions for improving the program so that they are included and it is accepted.
Nevertheless, the listed groups voted "abstained", the reasons being rather strange. Proshko Proshkov from GERB explained that the idea of coordination is a good practice and that as a former mayor of the "Lozenets" region he has already offered such a list.
"In its current form, however, I do not see sufficient coordination between the individual companies. I don't see line graphs, conflict points, graphic materials. I was hoping the new management would take a more modern approach. We did not receive an answer as to why an entire area such as "Poduyane" is missing from the sidewalk repair program, noted Proshkov. To this, Matov replied that the program includes all objects whose projects are already ready. However, Proshkov announced that he would vote "abstain" to show a "yellow card in terms of activity". The BSP and ITN did not take any stance, but nevertheless the two formations also voted "abstain".
"Your arguments are inadequate. In the program, there are specified objects for implementation with set deadlines. Your behavior resembles a boycott," Stavrev replied. "I propose that we adopt this program and then create a coordination unit that will look at the sites one by one," suggested Ivaylo Yonkov from "Sinya Sofia". In the end, however, the report was not accepted.
The resistance of GERB to attempts to improve the synchronization and quality of renovations in Sofia is paradoxical, considering that it was during the mandates of Yordanka Fandakova that urban folklore gave birth to the phrase "renovation of renovation".
An emblematic example in this regard was the renovation of "Tsar Ivan Shishman" street, which lasted almost 6 years due to the lack of coordination. During this period, the activities were stopped and resumed several times, as the municipality had not synchronized with "Heating" and "Sofia Water". Therefore, it was necessary to excavate an already laid pavement in order to replace the underground infrastructure.