WCC-DB and 'Greatness' Blame GERB, Borissov and Peevski for Orchestrating Sofia Transport Disruptions

The transport strike in Sofia has intensified political tensions, with accusations and counteraccusations flying in the Bulgarian parliament. Following comments by GERB leader Boyko Borissov dismissing claims that his party is involved in the strike, "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB) issued a sharp response.

WCC-DB MPs Lena Borislavova, Bozhidar Bozhanov, and Stella Nikolova, along with Sofia Municipal Council Chairman Tsvetomir Petrov and municipal councilor Boyko Dimitrov, held a briefing, branding the ongoing public transport disruptions as deliberate sabotage. Bozhanov accused Borissov of orchestrating the blockade to punish Sofia residents for not voting for GERB in the last mayoral election. He claimed that even private carrier depots were being blocked from serving the public, further alleging that public transport employees were being exploited to "create hell for the citizens."

Bozhanov noted that the municipality is losing at least 550,000 leva daily due to unsold transport tickets and warned that the blockade was a politically motivated move aimed at destabilizing the administration of Mayor Vasil Terziev. Borislavova echoed these concerns, accusing Borissov of using the strike to retaliate against Sofia residents and Mayor Terziev, who won the recent mayoral election without GERB's support. She argued that the strike is a punitive action targeting citizens, particularly those reliant on public transport, and children preparing for upcoming matriculation exams.

Unexpectedly, WCC-DB and Terziev received backing from the "Greatness" party. Party leader Ivelin Mihaylov stated that the strike was not the fault of WCC-DB but rather a deliberate obstruction orchestrated by Borissov and Delyan Peevski. Mihaylov claimed the strike was aimed at creating chaos to undermine Terziev's administration and warned that the mayor was being systematically hindered from governing effectively.

In response to WCC-DB's allegations, GERB MP Toma Bikov dismissed the accusations as baseless and suggested that WCC-DB was attempting to deflect attention from their own failures. Bikov emphasized that the protest was organized by the "Podkrepa" trade union, not GERB, and noted that the strike had been publicly announced a month in advance. He criticized Mayor Terziev for failing to negotiate a resolution during that time, accusing him of arrogance and ineffective communication.

Bikov also pointed to Ekaterina Yordanova, chairwoman of the Union of Transport Unions and a long-time GERB member, as a central figure in the strike. Social media posts by BG Elves further highlighted Yordanova’s dual role as both a trade union leader and a municipal councilor for GERB, suggesting that her involvement was politically motivated.

Sofia’s public transport has now been paralyzed for several days, with no clear resolution in sight. Mayor Terziev has offered a compromise of 100 leva plus an additional 300 leva for drivers, but the unions have yet to accept the proposal. Boyko Dimitrov warned that the financial losses for municipal transport operators could reach nearly a million leva per day, further straining the city's budget.

Meanwhile, residents of Sofia are bearing the brunt of the ongoing disruptions. With garbage collection also under threat, the situation in the capital remains tense, and both sides remain entrenched in their positions, leaving the public uncertain about when normal transport services will resume.