"Save Sofia" (SS) has withdrawn its trust from Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev and left its coalition with "We continue the change - Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) in the Sofia Municipal Council (SOS). This was announced a few days ago by the leader of SS Boris Bonev. The PP-DB-SS coalition, which supported Terziev in the last local elections, won the vote in 2023, but does not have a majority in SOS. What is happening now in the Sofia Municipal Council. Carlos Contrera, a municipal councilor from VMRO, speaks to FACTI.
- Mr. Contrera, „Save-Sofia“ withdrew his support from Mayor Vasil Terziev in the Sofia Municipal Council because... - It's simple - "Save Sofia", PP-DB and Mayor Vasil Terziev did not agree on posts and projects. This is the short answer. Boris Bonev and company from day one ate up power in the administration, it was sweet to them, then the others in the equation said that redistribution was needed, and "Save Sofia" wanted to "grab" the post of the chief architect as well. That's why they quarreled. Basically, the big problem of Terziev and PP-DB is that Boris Bonev had obsessed the coalition and was imposing his agenda on them. For example, in the "Transport" department The rescuers did not even allow their coalition partners, but instead went around the other ministries to push their own wild ideas.
- What of the demands of “Save-Sofia“ did not happen for this separation…
- The separation is putting it mildly. This is a Latin American drama that is also being played out publicly. The formal reasons put forward by Boris Bonev and his party are that the administration was not working, unprincipled compromises were being made, some agreements in the dark. This is true, but why did “Save-Sofia“ wait from December to April then? In my opinion, they hoped to take another ministry, to push some projects. And now, when it became clear that it would not happen - a divorce.
- After “Save-Sofia“ are not part of the ruling majority, will the opposition now make the decisions?
- There is no way the opposition can govern, if that is the question. The mayor governs with his group in the Social Democratic Party plus the support he gathers. If he does not gather it, one or another decision will not pass. You see that with the money for cleanliness, Mayor Terziev gathered a majority - what I called the “coalition of garbage“. December 2024, they voted 302 million leva with the votes of PP-DB, “Save Sofia“, “Vazrazhdane“ and Blue Sofia. Is it cleaner? Hardly. Now they should come out and say if they are satisfied and why the city is dirty.
- Is a “parallel municipality“ operating in Sofia, as Boris Bonev claims?
- It certainly is. Boris Bonev himself was part of this parallel municipality, but then they quarreled and now he is starting to take various things out of their kitchen. I asked a simple question: What is the role of Mrs. Adriana Popova and Ivo Prokopiev in the management of the municipality? I did not receive an answer. Back in February 2024, I raised the alarm about the rigged competition for secretary of the municipality, but then Bonev was publicly silent. Now he remembered to talk about the behind-the-scenes of Moskovska 33, when he was taken out of the equation. More precisely, out of impudence and arrogance, he took himself out.
- The competition for chief architect of Sofia caused a lot of controversy. Even the PP advised Mayor Vasil Terziev to cancel it and hold a new one. But he waited for the appeal deadline and appointed Bogdana Panayotova. What do you think of the procedure, was it notified in advance?
- The competition is the fruit of PP-DB and “Save Sofia“. The responsibility lies directly with Mayor Terziev, indirectly with the political forces that elected him and with whom he governed, including “Save Sofia“.
It was clear how this competition would end even before it started,
but Bonev sat until the end with the idea that something could turn it around and push his own man. When I said that it was a shame not to have municipal councilors in the commission, PP-DB and “Save Sofia“ did not react. Now there is roaring and screaming, but after the rain a hood. One thing is clear - Mayor Vasil Terziev is now directly responsible for the chief architect. If there are dissatisfied people - the mayor personally bears the responsibility. He himself declared this to the media.
- We are witnessing a reshuffle in the capital's “Metropolitan“. Eng. Stoyan Bratoev is no longer the director, but remains on the Board of Directors. Do you expect more changes in the structure of the metro?
- Prof. Stoyan Bratoev remains as a member of the board of directors and will continue to deal with investment activities. Together with municipal councilors Proshko Proshkov and Ivan Takov, we have requested information from the entire board about the activities and the situation, we plan to listen to them in a closed session about the problems. A municipal company cannot be managed as it has been until now - as a Sole Proprietorship (ET). My respects, but it is time to make efforts not only to build new sections of the metro lines, but also to improve service on existing sections. I am tired of constantly arguing about why this elevator or that escalator is not working. We will listen to the advice of the directors of the capital's “Metropolitan“ and we will outline a roadmap on how to increase the level of service.
- We witnessed the pushing of illegal houses in the capital – in the district “Sugar Factory“. In VMRO, this has been a topic for years. Will we see more…
- The mayor of “Ilinden“ was right to finally eliminate this ghetto. The bad thing is that neither the state nor the Sofia Municipality categorically supported the removal of the illegal buildings. We even saw how the People's Party and personally Kiril Petkov go to incite the Gypsies, to protect them. Paradox - those who talk the most about the rule of law, agitate for it not to be respected. I am talking about the former Prime Minister Kiril Petkov. Shameful.
- In which other neighborhoods are there such problems…
- The ghettos are well known - in part of the “Filipovtsi“ district, “Faculty“, “Batalova vodenitsa“, “Hristo Botev“, etc. The problems are the same. You cannot allow such zones of semi-exterritoriality. Crime flourishes there, children are born in the ghetto, grow up according to the laws of the ghetto and become an incubator for crime. What exactly is the social, life perspective of a child born in such an environment? Let's be honest. That is why the ghettos must collapse so that such a, let's call it, criminal subculture does not form.