Sofia Public Transport Workers to Stage Major Protest Over Funding Crisis

Sofia’s public transport workers are preparing to stage a new protest on May 14, with action set to begin at 4:00 AM in front of garages and depots throughout the city. Under the banner “Decent Work – Decent Pay! Without Transport, There Is No Economy!”, the demonstration will aim to block the departure of buses, trolleys, and trams, as a statement of frustration over what union leaders describe as continued governmental inaction.

The Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions (CITUB) stated that the protest is a response to the ongoing underfunding of the sector, with workers demanding urgent financial support from the state budget. The protest is being coordinated by CITUB’s Federation of Transport Unions and the Podkrepa Confederation of Trade Unions, with both organizations insisting on the immediate allocation of an additional 40.7 million leva for public transport systems in Sofia, Varna, and Ruse, as well as the Automobile Administration Executive Agency.

The requested funds are intended to provide 29 million leva for Sofia City Transport, 6.5 million leva for Varna City Transport, 0.7 million leva for Ruse City Transport, and 4.5 million leva for the Automobile Administration. Organizers argue that the lack of adequate state funding has led to chronic issues, including severe staff shortages and mounting pressure on existing workers as service demands increase.

On May 14, workers from transport companies in Varna, Ruse, and the Automobile Administration will symbolically join the protest in solidarity. Demonstrations in Sofia will occur at several key locations:

1. Krasna Polyana Tram Depot – 149 Nikola Mushanov Blvd.

2. Tramkar Division – Tsar Boris III Blvd., 126A

3. Banishora Tram Depot – Lt. Col. Kalitin St., 30

4. Iskar Tram Depot – Iskar Research and Production Zone, 5003 5

5. Nadezhda Trolleybus Garage – Lt. Col. Kalitin St., 28

6. Iskar Trolleybus Garage – Amsterdam St., 7

7. Levski Trolleybus Garage – Bessarabia St., 26

8. Zemlyane Bus Garage – Zhitnitsa St., 30

9. Druzhba Bus Garage – Prof. Tsvetan Lazarov St.

10. Malashevtsi Bus Garage – Rezbarska St., 11

11. Malashevtsi Bus Garage – Jacques Duclos St., 57

Union representatives emphasize that the transport sector’s current funding crisis is unsustainable and that the protest seeks to pressure the Ministry of Finance, the Council of Ministers, and the Sofia Municipality to engage in urgent negotiations. According to the CITUB, increased financial support is not only a matter of fair pay but also essential for maintaining vital transportation services and preventing further disruptions.

The transport unions are demanding a meeting with key state institutions to discuss a long-term solution that will safeguard the livelihoods of workers and ensure continued mobility for the public. With rising workloads and inadequate compensation, they argue that addressing the funding shortfall is no longer a mere request but a pressing necessity.