Public transport workers in Sofia are set to stage a renewed protest on Thursday, June 26, over unresolved wage disputes and the stalled adoption of the city’s municipal budget.
The demonstration will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in front of the Sofia Municipality building under the slogan, “Budget and wage increase now!”
The protest, officially announced by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), is being organized jointly by CITUB’s Federation of Transport Unions and the Federation of Transport Unions at the Confederation of Labour “Podkrepa.”
According to the organizers, the demonstration is driven by growing frustration over the continued delay in finalizing Sofia’s 2025 budget—an impasse that has indefinitely postponed long-promised salary increases for transport workers.
“Although the state has allocated the necessary funds, the absence of an approved budget is blocking crucial decisions, threatening the normal operation of the public transport system, and once again fueling discontent among employees,” the unions said in a joint statement.
At the heart of the protestors’ demands is a salary increase of 300 leva for public transport workers, alongside improved working conditions and a sustainable financial framework for the capital’s transport services.
Union leaders argue that workers are being forced to shoulder the consequences of political disagreements, even as they ensure the functioning of essential services for Sofia’s residents.
A meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council (SMC) is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on the day of the protest. In an effort to avert further unrest, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev has invited representatives from all political factions for a joint meeting on Monday to discuss the budget impasse.
This latest protest comes just weeks after similar demonstrations by surface transport employees disrupted services across the city. In response, the national government stepped in, allocating 15 million leva to the municipality in an effort to defuse tensions. That financial boost led to a temporary suspension of the protests.
However, tensions reignited on June 12, when Mayor Terziev returned the draft budget and economic framework for 2025 to the Municipal Council.
He cited concerns about responsible fiscal management and the lawful use of public funds, stating, “I will not allow the residents’ money to be spent without control, without logic, and in violation of the law.”
Union representatives have dismissed those remarks as politically motivated, insisting that the delay is costing the city more in terms of lost morale and deteriorating service reliability.
With Thursday’s protest looming, the pressure is once again mounting on Sofia’s political leadership to resolve the deadlock and provide a concrete timeline for approving the budget. Until then, thousands of commuters may face further disruptions, and the city’s transport workers say they will not back down.
“We keep Sofia moving,” one union leader said. “It’s time the municipality showed they value that.”