No Progress in Talks: Sofia Public Transport Faces Indefinite Strike, Signatures Collected for the Metro to Halt Service

Sofia remains without ground public transport following a meeting between union representatives and the mayor of the capital, Vasil Terziev. Despite hours of discussion, no agreement was reached, and the blockades continue, announced Todor Kapitanov, vice president of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB).

Kapitanov stated that the meeting lasted for three hours but did not qualify as negotiations, as no new proposals were presented by the Sofia Municipality. "Both sides maintain their initial positions," he said, adding that union representatives would now consult with the protesting workers to decide on the next steps.

According to Novini.bg, Ivan Kirilov, chairman of the Federation of Transport Workers in the "Podkrepa" union, has said that sufficient signatures have been collected to halt the metro service, though the exact number was not disclosed. Kirilov emphasized that workers remain steadfast in their demands for a 300 leva wage increase, reducing their initial demand from 400 leva. "We will continue discussions with workers to address the crisis," he said, noting that employees are reporting for duty but are unable to work due to protesters blocking access.

Kirilov also indicated that the ongoing negotiations with the mayor have yielded no tangible progress. "The talks have been dragging on for more than two hours without any concrete outcome. Mayor Terziev remains unresponsive to our demands," he said.

Despite being aware of the potential financial repercussions, including losing pay for strike days, the workers remain resolute in their stance, Kirilov added.

Effectively, the unions have started an indefinite strike on public transport, which may extend to the metro system.