"Save Sofia": GERB blamed the parking reform, which would have ensured order in the city

"Save Sofia" sharply criticized the Sofia Municipal Council during a briefing before the last session of the political season. Boris Bonev, chairman of the party, and municipal councilors arch. Rositsa Nikolova and Andrey Zografski spoke about several cases - the shaming of the parking reform, the controversial decision to unblock "Todor Kableshkov" Blvd., the actions necessary to stop the skyscraper next to the "Paradise" mall, as well as the surprising proposal by Mayor Vasil Terziev to concession the public bathhouse in Bankya and turn it into a gym.
Bonev expressed disappointment with the chaos and lack of dialogue in the work of the SOS in the past months. "There has never been so much sabotage, so little responsibility and such cynicism in the management of the SOS. Instead of solving the problems of Sofia residents, we are witnessing constant personal and political games."- he said and added that reforms such as the one on parking and municipal housing have been actively sabotaged, despite the previously reached agreement with the PPDB, GERB and Blue Sofia.
"A minute before the vote, GERB completely blocked the parking reform, which could have provided over 100 million leva for infrastructure, parking lots and public transport and would have ensured order in the city.", Bonev added.
The only architect in the municipal council, Rositsa Nikolova, expressed her concerns about the mayor's proposal to unblock Todor Kableshkov Blvd. Adopting this decision would set a precedent and there is an extremely high risk that the South Park will be built over within the next few years, since about ⅓ of its territory is private property. The report is being submitted for consideration for the second time after it was already rejected once by the Municipal Council.
"The report remains illegal. It lacks compliance with the General Development Plan, and the decision on transport access was received in two working days - an absurdly short period.", said arch. Nikolova.
She also touched on the project for a 55-storey skyscraper next to the mall on "Cherni Vrah" Blvd., reminding that "Save Sofia" has submitted a proposal for an ex officio change to the detailed development plan, which would block the implementation of this megaproject. "If the SOS does not accept the proposal, Mayor Terziev has the authority to issue an order. We expect him to show political will." - added arch. Rositsa Nikolova. She reminded that it is precisely the currently envisaged “warm connection” that allows such a high building. If it is excluded from the initial project, the height of the skyscraper could be double smaller.
Andrei Zografski, an advisor to the "Save Sofia" group, has raised the alarm about another scandalous case - a proposal by the mayor of Sofia to give the only restored bathhouse in Bankya to a concession for only 200 thousand leva per year.
"9 million leva have been invested from the municipal budget. The bathhouse is working and brings in income, but now it will be given to a private fitness chain for the symbolic sum of 200 thousand leva and vague promises of an underground pool." - said Zografski and compared the situation with other mineral baths in the city, which have been ruins for years and stressed that it makes no sense for the only restored bathhouse in Sofia to be given to a concession, instead of one of the others, wallowing in misery in Knyazhevo, Gorna Banya or Tsentralna Banya.
"If the Municipality is a bad manager, let's also give the Sofia Municipality to a concession. This is a recognition of management failure.", concluded Zografski and called on Mayor Terziev to withdraw the scandalous report from the session's agenda.
"Save Sofia" called for more transparency, accountability and political responsibility in the management of the capital. According to them, the current way of making decisions threatens not only the quality of the urban environment in the long term, but also undermines the trust of citizens.