site.btaSofia Mayor Terziev Comments on Distribution of Committees in Municipal Council, Possibility of New Elections in Sofia

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev explained on NOVA TV Tuesday that, given the current distribution of committees in the Municipal Council, he will not have as much control over what will happen to the municipal enterprises. When asked about what he could do in the municipal companies since there is no majority in the Municipal Council, Terziev replied that it appoints the supervisors of these companies, who in turn are involved in appointing executive directors and in organising tenders. "If we want a complete revision, it cannot happen without the willingness of the Municipal Council", the Mayor said. He explained that the office terms of many of the supervisors of municipal companies are expiring and their renewal will show where the interest groups and economic majorities are.

Terziev said that what happened at the last meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council and the voting on the composition of the committees, plus their chairmanship, is an attempt to put the brakes on everything he does. "You will not hear me making excuses and saying how difficult it is. These are the givens, we work with the tools we have at our disposal," he said.

The Mayor has a platform, Terziev said, adding that transparency is the best cure for such shortcomings. He believes that there is more and more transparency in the work of Sofia Municipality. Terziev said he hopes Sofia city hall will not continue to be laughing stock for everyone a, but will start making the important decisions for the city. He was speaking in response to his expectations for the next session of the Municipal Council on February 22. "You can't take all the residents of this city hostage by playing some petty political games" he said. 

"There should be no new elections, neither for municipal council nor for mayor, but we wait for the court's decision [referring to a challenge of the election results and the pending court decision on the case]," Terziev said, stressing that he will abide by the court's decision. His focus is to fight Sofia's everyday problems.