Governance is a series of difficult decisions. My first came on election night - whether to go down the familiar path of agreements and dependencies or to take a risk and remain faithful to the promise of change. I chose the latter.
Sofia residents did not elect me to make unprincipled deals. They elected me to interrupt the old schemes, to stop uncontrolled spending, to return control to the hands of the people. To stop overbuilding, to improve the systems, to build - kindergartens, sidewalks, metro. And most of all - trust.
This was posted on his Facebook page by Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev. Here are some more of his words:
I know that the resistance is strong - from sabotage in the SOS to calls for resignation. I know where it comes from. When you don't call Borisov, don't ask Peevski for approval and aren't surrounded by Taki, Krasyo Cherniya, Valka, Orlin Aleksiev and the other gray cardinals of the old model - the system fights back. With pressure, with intimidation, through unions, institutions, controlled media. Through threats.
But I didn't come to please the powerful of the day. I came to do a job: to introduce rules, accountability and stop waste.
If there is a majority in the SOS, it will be built on principles: support for policies in the interest of the city, transparency, responsibility and open dialogue. I will talk to anyone who works honestly. But never at the expense of principles. And never at the expense of the people.
Sofia is not a deal. Sofia is a cause.