Bulgaria Transport Minister, Sofia Mayor Pledge Crosstown Metro by 2012

Bulgaria's Transport Minister, Petar Mutafchiev, and Sofia's Mayor, Boyko Borisov broke ground of Sofia's second metro line on Monday. Photo by Nadya Kotseva (Sofia Photo Agency).

Sofia residents and visitors will be able to travel crosstown on the subway by 2012, as promised Monday by the Bulgarian Transport Minister and the Mayor of Sofia.

Transport Minister, Petar Mutafchiev, and Mayor, Boyko Borisov, broke the first ground of Sofia's second metro line that will connect the capital's "Nadezhda" district with the Central Railroad Station and downtown Sofia via the "St. Nedelya" square and the National Palace of Culture to the "Cherni Vruh" boulevard.

Mutafchiev further promised that the subway on the "Cherni Vruh" boulevard would begin functioning by the end of 2010 while the entire segment will be completed by 2012.

The project's value is estimated at EUR 247 M. 185 M of which are financed by the European Union while the remaining amount will be provided by Sofia's City Hall.

Borisov, on his part, stated that the City Hall was seriously considering a project where the second line would be extended even further, to reach the "Studentski Grad" district.

The Mayor made the commitment that the first metro line would connect the current final stop "Serdika" in the heart of Sofia to the national "Vasil Levski" sports field as early as October of 2009, while by May of the following year, the first line would reach the "Mladost 1" district.

Borisov further used the occasion to comment on statements of Bulgaria's Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, regarding their latest argument about scheduling a policy debate.

On Monday the PM declared once gain he was fully prepared to debate with the Mayor and informal leader of the opposition Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party, but holding such debate on a street corner would not be serious enough. Stanishev voiced his bewilderment of the fact that after inviting the Mayor for a debate to be aired by the Bulgarian National Television Tuesday night, Borisov demanded they meet immediately, and arrived in person, on a Sunday, at the Ministries' Council building, expecting to find the PM there.

"I do not want a street debate; I wish to talk in the PM's office, in the presence of all media. At 5:00 pm last night he invited me and I, similarly to the first two times, upon receiving the invitation, declared I would immediately go to the Ministries' Council building. He gets scared and after sleeping on his idea until noon, changes his mind and issues an new offer. I would meet him any place, any time... But, as you see, he does not show up, he hides...," was Borisov's response.

 

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