Sofia, Bulgaria – The Bulgarian political party “Spasi Sofia” has sounded the alarm over the cleaning practices in the city’s public transport system, specifically highlighting the conditions of the trams.
In a video shared on its Facebook page, municipal councilor Boris Bonev and his team inspected the “Banishora” tram depot, uncovering startling hygiene methods that sparked public concern.
The video, which has since gained widespread attention, shows Sofia Municipality’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, Iliyan Pavlov, questioning the staff about their cleaning practices.
A worker from the depot revealed that she had been using a mixture of water and rakia—Bulgaria’s traditional alcoholic beverage—to clean the windows of the trams.
She explained that this unconventional method was employed as the tram in question was scheduled for display at an exhibition.
However, it was not only the use of rakia that raised eyebrows. The employee also disclosed that instead of using company-provided equipment, she relied on her personal vacuum cleaner to clean the seats.
This revelation directly contradicted the contract with Sofia Municipality, which specifies that the tram seats should be washed regularly, rather than relying on personal or alternative equipment.
Pavlov, visibly concerned by these practices, stressed the importance of maintaining high standards of cleanliness for the health and safety of passengers. “It is unacceptable that the seats are not being cleaned as required.
Hygiene in public transport is a top priority,” he remarked during the inspection. The deputy mayor also drew attention to the state of the tram handles, which he described as “sticky,” emphasizing that such surfaces should be cleaned daily to prevent the spread of bacteria and germs.
The concerns raised by “Spasi Sofia” have cast a shadow over Sofia Municipality’s public transport cleaning operations, despite an annual budget of 700,000 leva (approximately 350,000 euros) allocated specifically for cleaning the city’s buses and trams.
The party argued that the budget is not being effectively utilized, with cleaning operations being largely manual and carried out with insufficient and outdated equipment.
In response to the situation, “Spasi Sofia” vowed to take immediate action. The party announced plans to purchase new cleaning equipment, improve oversight of cleaning operations, and bring cleaning services back under the direct control of the municipality.
They also outlined their intention to continue inspecting other depots and public transport garages across the city to ensure that similar issues are not present elsewhere.
Deputy Mayor Pavlov assured the public that he would take firm action to enforce the terms of cleaning contracts.
“We will ensure that the trams are thoroughly cleaned at least twice a month as per the agreements in place. This is about public safety and trust in our transport system,” he stated.
The revelations have sparked debate among Sofia’s residents, many of whom rely on public transport daily.
As the inspection process continues, citizens are watching closely to see how the municipality will address these hygiene concerns and whether “Spasi Sofia” will deliver on its promises to improve the cleanliness of the city’s public transport.