Federation of Transport Trade Unions insists on predictability and signing an agreement with the Mayor of Sofia!

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

The letter proposing a meeting was sent by the FTTU back on November 12, 2025, with the aim of conducting a constructive dialogue and achieving clarity regarding the financial state and the future of the municipal companies. This was not followed up, which made it necessary for us to repeatedly insist on talks, not only with the new Deputy Mayor for Transport appointed in October 2025, but also with Mr. Terziev. Before yesterday's meeting, our last talks with him were on May 19, 2025. 

Due to the lack of a state budget for this year, in January the federation also sent letters to the directors of the municipal transport companies in Varna, Ruse, and Sofia to clarify their financial situation, whether there are difficulties in paying salaries, reserves for increasing them, opportunities for planning growth, as well as for improving working conditions. For 2026, the necessary subsidy from the budget, which will allow a 10% increase in salaries, amounts to EUR 23.6 million for the capital, EUR 1.1 million for Ruse, and EUR 2.6 million for Varna. The FTTU insisted on this in November 2025 during another protest action of the CITUB in front of the parliament. The 18th within the term of the government of Rosen Zhelyazkov.  

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 bring predictability and security to the workers; increasing the basic salaries of all public transport employees; priority for deficit occupations; providing targeted funds for improving working conditions; providing new rolling stock and spare parts; providing new service machines for "Transenergo"; clear position and guarantees for the future of the companies and preventing concessions under any form.

Viktor Chaushev stated to us that he does not support the concessioning of the road transport activity. However, this does not correspond to publicly shared intentions to service new trams "entirely by the manufacturer", whereby workers will be moved "to where they are needed", without criteria and guarantees for their jobs and professional development. We stated categorically that we will not allow municipal transport to be privatized "through the back door", using modern projects – be they new trams or other investments – as a cover.

Vasil Terziev indicated that due to the lack of a budget he cannot make specific commitments. We fully understand the financial constraints and the difficulties, but public transport employees deserve predictability. They perform their commitments quite 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 to such!

We do not accept the claims made today by Vasil Terziev, delivered with a puzzling ironical note, that: "We will hold protests anyway", "The conversation is not even a conversation. It is a notification of a pre-determined decision."

Our concern is the working people and their demands for decent wages and working conditions. They, in turn, look after thousands of passengers – citizens and guests of Sofia, every day.

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

We feel obliged to recall that until the end of 2023, public transport workers had an agreement with the Mayor of Sofia Municipality with a commitment for salary growth every year.

Predictability and clarity are currently lacking on many issues related to Sofia's public transport. In the name of the workers, we will continue to demand them through all forms and ways permitted by law.