BREAKING: Sofia Transport Strike Ends as Government Pledges Funding? Borissov 'Saves the Day'

The Bulgarian government has secured funding to meet the demands of Sofia's transport workers, effectively ending the strike that has disrupted public transport in the Bulgarian capital, although official confirmation is still pending. This was announced during an urgent briefing by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, GERB party leader Boyko Borissov, and Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova.

The government will provide 15 million leva in addition to the subsidy for Sofia's public transport, BNR reported.

This was agreed minutes ago at a meeting between Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and union leaders.

Mayor Vasil Terziev did not attend the meeting.

The unions cannot commit to whether the civil disobedience will be ended, everything depends on the reaction of the capital's mayor.

In a live broadcast from GERB leader Boyko Borissov's Facebook page, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov explained that the money was allocated to ensure order and peace in the capital.

"This decision is in support of the transport subsidy. As for whether these funds will be met as salaries, it is up to the municipality and, I hope, the committees in the Municipal Council and the Municipal Council as a whole to find the best solution. In my conversations with the unions, we found assurance that with this act of the government, the unions will convince their members to restore the normal functioning of public transport in Sofia from tomorrow," Prime Minister Zhelyazkov pointed out.

Prime Minister Zhelyazkov stated that with this government action, the unions have agreed to resume public transport operations in Sofia starting tomorrow. He emphasized that the financial assistance will address the transport workers' concerns, preventing further disruptions in the city's public transport network.

The briefing, held at GERB's party headquarters, was attended by key figures from the transport, finance, and economic committees of the Sofia Municipality, including Borisov, Zhelyazkov, and Petkova. According to Borissov, the location was chosen as it was deemed inappropriate to convene at the Council of Ministers for such discussions.

Borissov accused Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev of failing to initiate a meeting to resolve the strike, suggesting that the current transport blockade could have been avoided. He also alleged that the recent mayoral elections in Sofia had been "stolen," implying that the handling of the transport crisis was part of a broader political issue.

Despite acknowledging that it was not ideal to draw funds from the state budget for this purpose, Borissov said the cabinet would back the decision to allocate the necessary funds to resolve the crisis. He commended the actions taken by Zhelyazkov and Petkova, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.