My report today will be the last for this year and collects the most important part of my work during the last working and holiday days of 2023. This is what the mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, wrote on Facebook.
However, before that, I want to express my respect for the dedication and unwavering pursuit of the goal by the government and parliament, which has brought us to this historic moment – Bulgaria becomes a Schengen member with the abolition of internal air and sea border controls in 2024, shared Terziev.
These two weeks are also marked by two more important achievements of the government and the people’s representatives of PP-DB, GERB, DPS. Bulgaria enters 2024 with an adopted state budget – something that has not happened in three years. The changes in the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria are a reality. The door on our way to a true rule of law is wide open, although serious work lies ahead. And we have a new example that consent is possible and achievable.
In Sofia, the municipal council is frozen somewhere in time and there is no news, writes the capital’s mayor.
Dear Mr. Georgiev and Mr. Hekimyan, neither Sofia nor I need your advice and your fruitless walks to Moskovska 33 once a week. Sofia needs all municipal councilors to roll up their sleeves and do their job together. We solve legacy problems! I will repeat that everyone – both us, and those who have ruled, and the opposition, whoever in whatever role they are in, must take their responsibility to the people of Sofia now, pointed out Vasil Terziev.
In the meantime, the municipality team and I dealt with many big and small problems, and did some good deeds around Christmas. In fact, it was a normal two weeks in the Metropolitan Municipality. Here’s the full report:
• We are actively working on the preparation of Sofia’s budget for 2024. We will present it for public discussion by mid-January.
• With the adoption of the state budget for 2024, 109 investment projects with a total value of nearly BGN 100 million were approved for financing. Of these, nearly BGN 34 million will be invested in the northern regions of the capital. Work on all projects should be completed by the end of 2026 at the latest.
• We found a solution for the missing funds for Sofia’s plumbing infrastructure, together with the Council of Ministers, not with the municipal council. Our team secured part of the necessary funds of over BGN 10.2 million, and the government approved over BGN 32 million in additional transfer. Thus, we ensured the completion of the projects and ensured the opportunity to apply for new ones and thus continue the construction of the capital’s plumbing infrastructure.
• I signed a contract for the free transfer of state property in the “Vrabnitsa” area of nearly 52 decares, which will allow us to expand the “Copper Factory” cemetery park.
• We have declared war on offenders – be they sources of air pollution or parking on pavements. The Metropolitan Inspectorate in just one day on December 20 carried out 87 inspections of objects, potential sources of air pollution. We began to systematically monitor for improperly parked cars and clear the sidewalks – not only in the center of the capital, but also in the neighborhoods – in cooperation with the regional mayors.
• We freed “St. Nedelya” square from parked cars and opened it to all Sofia residents – permanently. Our next goal is the complete reconstruction of “St. Nedelya” Square, “Saborna” Street and the space in front of the Courthouse.
• As of December 23, tram No. 5, the oldest tram line in Sofia, was restored. This became possible thanks to the efforts of the municipality’s team and despite the short-sighted planning and management of the road repair project by the previous managers. The story of why and how deserves a separate post. Now I am delighted that we were able to restore the iconic No. 5 tram just in time for the holidays.
• In these two weeks, we continued to decorate Sofia – 1,100 meters of new luminous garlands and 112 luminous festive elements. Whatever criticisms you have will be reasonable. What I can promise is that Sofia will look different at the same time in 2024.
• After the snow fell on December 18, with the “Emergency Aid and Prevention” teams, we helped a total of 15 people, including four families with children, a father with diabetes and his daughter, who were in distress on Vitosha.
• After the fire in a residential building in the “Kurilo” district, Novi Iskar, we immediately delivered two vans with electricity and water for the people who were left without shelter. We also offer shelter in temporary accommodation centers until the damage is repaired. The victims refused this help, but a nearby hotel offered support, which they accepted. The “Emergency Assistance and Prevention” team removed the dangerous remains from the building and will help with funds and with the repair of the roof itself.
• Before Christmas, we started an initiative to provide food and hot drinks to homeless people until December 31 in the capital temple “St. Martyr Paraskeva”. The teams of the “Emergency Assistance and Prevention” Directorate distribute packages of food and drinks to homeless people during their usual rounds.
• The implementation of a project that supports needy people in temporary accommodation centers has started. Food packages will be provided to all over 400 people who are accommodated in the three centers in the capital. In addition to a hot lunch, food products for families with small children will also be delivered to the crisis centers.
• In the days before Christmas, our team visited pensioners’ clubs all over Sofia to bring gifts for the holiday. Thank you to all the businesses, people and organizations who sent Christmas gift baskets, with which we were able to make the elderly holiday better together.
• I donated my first salary as mayor to provide food to a malnourished child. I will donate this and every next one as promised.
• I have been meeting with citizens every week for a month now in the mayor’s office. I am recalling the telephone number – 02 937 7582 so that you can make an appointment with me and any of our team of Deputy Mayors.
• For the first time as the mayor of Sofia, I connected two young, radiant people, Christiana and Adnan, in a family union. I thank them for sharing their wedding ceremony with me and I wish them much happiness and love.
• To end these two weeks, the Simeonov lift has stopped and it is not clear when it will be operational. Teams of the Municipal Police and “Emergency Assistance and Prevention” of the municipality will take over the organization of the traffic and we will provide more buses on the key routes to be able to compensate for the lack of elevator in the coming weeks and until the operation of the elevator is restored. I will continue working on this case after the holidays.
We promised the people of Sofia that by the end of this mandate we will find a solution to the accessibility of Vitosha and turn the mountain into a park for all people and all seasons. Something that GERB and their changing “partners” did not even make a timid attempt to do for the people of Sofia during all the years of government.
• And finally, for ice sports lovers – on January 2, 2024, the ice rink in the “Vazrazhdane” sports complex will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and the entrance will be free for children and students.
In the few hours until the New Year, I wish you that 2024 will bring us health, love, new dreams and the strength and perseverance to make them come true. I wish together with you to make Sofia a better city to live in. Without each one of you and your active participation, we cannot succeed, concludes Vasil Terziev.
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Rating 3.3 from 49 votes.
2023-12-31 10:31:00
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