Sofia: Local Officials Accuse ‘We Continue the Change’ of Pushing Contract Manipulation

The mayors of Sofia’s “Mladost” and “Lyulin” districts, along with municipal councilors and regional party figures, have announced their departure from “We Continue the Change” (WCC), citing serious internal pressure from party leadership. According to their statements, the pressure involved demands to manipulate public procurement procedures, allocate percentages from contracts, and funnel funds into the party’s coffers.

Those leaving the political formation include Ivaylo Kukurin, mayor of “Mladost”; Georgi Todorov, mayor of “Lyulin”; municipal councilors Dimitar Shalafov and Dragomir Dragomirov; as well as the regional coordinator for Vitosha and the 23rd multi-member constituency (MIR).

Both Kukurin and Todorov declared that they would not be stepping down from their elected posts. They stated their intention to continue their work as independent mayors, no longer affiliated with a political party. Todorov emphasized that he would not act in service of private or partisan interests and would remain a non-partisan representative of the public.

At a press briefing, Ivaylo Kukurin offered further detail on the reasons for his departure. He explained that when he took office, he was met with numerous backlogged projects in “Mladost,” many of which had been delayed for years. He faced immediate hurdles, including limited administrative capacity, and initially welcomed WCC’s offer to provide expert support. However, according to Kukurin, this assistance quickly revealed a darker side.

He described instances of informal meetings with companies and pressure to steer public contracts in specific directions. Kukurin recounted how he was stunned to learn that certain builders had agreed to abstain from participating in tenders because the outcome had already been arranged. He said he refused to be complicit in turning public procurement into a transactional tool for party gain.

One of the most serious allegations he raised concerned a renovation project for a kindergarten, worth 5 million leva. According to Kukurin, he was handed a pre-written protocol that included decisions on which company would win the contract and was expected to sign it. He refused. “I declared I would not allow myself to become a rubber stamp,” he stated. Shortly after, he said, he was approached with an offer to accept a cut from the contract value - percentages to be split between himself and the party. Kukurin said he declined and walked away from the conversation.

The group said they had already alerted the mayor of Sofia about what had transpired and made clear that they do not believe she played any part in the internal pressure. They also stated that they are prepared to submit all relevant information to the prosecutor’s office.