The report that a group of municipal councilors from “Save Sofia“, BSP and “Blue Sofia“ submitted for consideration by the committees in the Municipal Council of Sofia aims at a hidden concession by Lyubomir Pavlov for advertising at Sofia bus stops and clearing the competition in the outdoor market by eliminating the advertising formats with which he does not operate – roof signs and advertisements on building facades, writes Vevesti.bg, citing its source.
Despite the absurd changes in the outdoor advertising regulations that were undertaken during the holiday season – August, hidden from the industry and the Department of “Architecture and Urban Planning“, despite the mass protests by the Condominium Owners, who will be left without income for the maintenance of their buildings, the scandalous report was not stopped for review.
On the contrary, after the sharply expressed bewilderment by leading advertising associations and the rising public discontent at the last meeting of the architectural commission (KUTAJP) in the SOS on 24.09.2025, it continues to be present on the agenda of the same commission on 08.10.2025. The parties directly affected by the change in the Advertising Ordinance, such as the Department of “Architecture and Urban Planning“ and advertising associations, requested a review of the entire report and time to prepare and consider the changes set forth in it, but they will clearly not be given such.
Lyubomir Pavlov will completely consolidate his monopoly in outdoor advertising in Sofia - control over all advertising elements at public transport stops in Sofia, with which he has been operating since 1998 anyway through hidden contracts and symbolic rents to the Sofia Municipality.
By eliminating the other two serious advertising formats in Sofia - the mega-formats on building facades and rooftop advertising, all large advertisers will be redirected to his advertising network - 100% of stops and 70% of billboards on municipal land and 60% of billboards on private land in the city. On the other hand, smaller companies in the industry that operate with the “obstructive” advertising formats, and condominiums will remain without the right to rent out their free spaces in the buildings and thus maintain them. The interests of businesses and citizens are being trampled on, there is no public debate and response to the scandal created, the media coverage is very dosed, without reaching wide publicity.
This is happening without taking into account the opinion of the main directorate in the Sofia Municipality, which is responsible for the urban environment in the capital and participates in writing the regulations for its regulation - Department “Architecture and Urban Planning“. This is evidenced by the fact that for the first time there is no working group formed, the expert opinion of the hungry architect was not requested in time regarding the changes undertaken, and even the directorate finds out about these actions immediately before the meeting of the specialized commission, so that there is no time to react and by the time the others feel it, it will “pass“ and to be voted on even at the meeting of the Municipal Council on 09.10.2025.
Here are the reasons of the submitters for the removal of roof signs in Sofia, as well as advertising on buildings: roof advertisements are dangerous, and regarding advertisements on facades – “it is the right of the Sofia Municipality to formulate requirements for the urban environment, with which to limit the use of movable objects or advertising elements“ or can the Sofia Municipality do whatever it wants?!
Source: vevesti.bg