site.btaPublic Transport Workers to Protest in Sofia, Disruptions to Traffic Are Expected

A national protest, mottoed "Decent work - decent pay! No economy without transport!", will take place today in Sofia. The action is organized by the Federation of Transport Workers (FTW) of the Podkrepa Labour Confederation and the Federation of Transport Trade Unions (FTTU) of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB).

The main demand is to find an urgent and sustainable solution for targeted state funding for the sector to guarantee wages and social security, the union said. An increase in the state subsidy of BGN 29 million is needed for the public transport in Sofia, BGN 6.5 million for Varna, BGN 700,000 for Ruse, BGN 4.5 million for the Automobile Administration authority. Employees in the capital's public transport “categorically disagree with the BGN 100 wage increase proposed by the Sofia Municipality”, says Podkrepa.

From 8 am protesters are expected to block three intersections in Sofia - at Dragan Tsankov Blvd. and Evlogi and Hristo Georgiev Blvd., Eagle’s Bridge and Macedonia Square.

Transport workers from Sofia, Varna and Ruse will join the protest, CITUB said.

Protesters at the intersection of Dragan Tsankov and Evlogi and Hristo Georgiev will stop traffic with a barricade of tires, CITUB said. Also, as part of the planned actions the metro station will be partially blocked.

After protest action at these intersections ends at around 11 am, the protesters will head to the Ministry of Finance and Sofia Municipality.