Public Transport Workers Protest over Wages in Sofia, Block City Centre

Public transport workers protest in Sofia with demands for higher wages. The centre of the capital was blocked and traffic was disturbed, Sofia, April 14, 2025 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

14.04.2025 17:52

(BTA)

Tags

LOCAL FOCUS

Protesting public transport workers blocked the centre of Sofia and caused traffic disturbances on Monday morning. The action is part of a national protest under the motto "Decent work - decent pay! No economy without transport!", organized by the Federation of Transport Workers of the Podkrepa Labour Confederation and the Federation of Transport Trade Unions of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria.

The protestors demanded an increase in wages by BGN 400 from April 1.

“This action was necessary because the Sofia Municipality offered to increase the salaries of 7,000 transport workers in the four municipal transport companies in Sofia by only BGN 100,” said Ivan Kirilov, chairman of the Federation of Transport Workers.

“We need to sit at the same table with representatives of the Finance Ministry and the municipalities to solve the problem of chronic underfunding of the sector,” Alexander Shopov of the Federation of Transport Trade Unions told BTA.

The protest was also joined by public transport workers from Varna and Ruse.

“Every year we are like beggars and every year we ask for an increase, and they mock us, they offer us BGN 50-100,” said Ivan Sakarov of Podkrepa.

He added that the work of workers in the road transport is very hard - they get up at 2.30 am, there are no drivers and they work 12-14 hour shifts. “This is murderous, we give our health and we have no money,” Sakarov said.

In March 2024 the Sofia Municipality provided record funds for public transport in Sofia – in excess of BGN 500 million. This means better conditions and higher salaries for those working in the field, significantly better conditions for commuters and quality public transport, the municipality said at the time.

The issue of decent wages is important and we are looking for a solution. Unfortunately, the budget of the Sofia Municipality cannot allow us to meet the demands of public transport workers, so it is important that we work with the state to find the necessary funds, Sofia Deputy Mayor Ivan Vassilev told journalists. He said that funds earmarked from the municipal budget are BGN 15 million, which means an increase of BGN 100 per worker.

/NF/