Position of the FTTU!

Federation of Transport and Trade Unions demands predictability and conclusion of an agreement with the Mayor of Sofia!

On February 23, at the initiative of the Federation of Transport and Trade Unions at the CITUB, a meeting was held with the Mayor of the Sofia Municipality Vasil Terziev and the Deputy Mayor for Transport, Viktor Chaushev.

The letter proposing the meeting was sent by the FTTU as early as 12.11.2025 with the aim to conduct a constructive dialogue and achieve clarity regarding the financial state and future of municipal companies. Such a dialogue did not follow, which necessitated us to repeatedly insist on discussions not only with the new Deputy Mayor of Transport, appointed in October 2025, but also with Mr. Terziev. Before yesterday's meeting, our last conversations with him were on 19.05.2025. 

Due to the absence of a state budget for this year, in January the federation sent letters to the directors of municipal transport companies in Varna, Ruse, and Sofia to clarify their financial state, any difficulties in payroll, reserves for salary increases, opportunities for growth planning, and improving working conditions. For 2026, the necessary subsidy from the budget, which will allow a 10% salary increase, is 23.6 million euros for the capital, 1.1 million for Ruse, and 2.6 million euros for Varna. The FTTU insisted on this during a protest action by CITUB in front of the Parliament in November 2025, the 18th during the administration of Rosen Zhelyazkov's government.  

During our conversation at the Sofia Municipality yesterday, we clearly put forward our proposals, including: signing a two-year agreement with the Mayor of Sofia to provide predictability and security for the workers; an increase in the basic salaries of all employees in public transport; priority for deficit professions; provision of targeted funds for improving working conditions; provision of new rolling stock and spare parts; provision of new servicing machines for "Transenergo"; a clear position and guarantees for the future of the companies and the prevention of concessions in any form.

Viktor Chaushev stated to us that he does not support the concession of car transport activity. However, this does not align with publicly shared intentions to provide new trams "entirely by the manufacturer," whereby workers will be moved "where needed," without criteria and guarantees for their jobs and professional development. We categorically stated that we will not allow municipal transport to be privatized "through the backdoor," using modern projects—be it new trams or other investments—as a cover.

Vasil Terziev pointed out that due to the lack of a budget, he cannot make specific commitments. We fully understand the financial constraints and difficulties, but workers in public transport deserve predictability. They fulfill their commitments very specifically, every day, without delay.

The sector is the backbone of Sofia and its stability requires timely real actions.

We did not hear a commitment for such actions!

We do not accept the claims made today by Vasil Terziev, presented with a perplexing ironic note, that: "We are going to protest anyway," "The conversation is not even a conversation. It's a notification of a pre-made decision."

Our concern is for the working people and their demands for decent wages and working conditions. They, in turn, take care of thousands of passengers—residents and guests of Sofia, every day.

We will refrain from commenting on the sarcastic reproaches made by our social partner towards the workers, on their right to trade union representation and protection, and on illogical representations.

We feel obliged to remind that by the end of 2023, employees in public transport had an agreement with the Mayor of the Sofia Municipality with a commitment for salary increases every year.

Predictability and clarity are currently lacking on many issues related to Sofia's public transport. For the sake of the workers, we will continue to demand them in all legally permitted forms and ways.