GERB leader Borissov on the Public Transport Case: We Solved the Issue Because We Would Have Ruined the Students’ Final Exams

GERB leader Boyko Borissov explained to journalists why the state provided funds for Sofia's ground public transport system, saying the decision was made simply to prevent disruption of students’ matriculation exams.

On May 19, it was announced that the government would allocate BGN 15 million to the Sofia Municipality in order to put an end to the public transport workers’ protest.

“The issue has been resolved. The protest had been announced a month ago. If you recall, it was even held in front of the Ministry of Finance. Back then, your colleagues—though they’re not here today—asked me why we weren’t providing any money. Well, today they were about to disrupt the school-leaving exams,” said Borissov.

“What we’re all seeing—what you see too—is that they’ve been unable to reopen Opalchenska Street for two years. They couldn’t even reach an agreement with the unions for a whole month. And the claim that we are somehow involved in this process is an outright lie. We only stepped in because we were about to ruin the children’s exams.”

Borissov added that if the money is not needed, the mayor should return it:

“If they don’t need the money, and if they think it was tossed from a Jeep, then the mayor should return it to the Finance Ministry and let them do what they will with it.”

He also criticized Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev, accusing him of failing to negotiate pay raises with the unions and urged him to find a working majority in the Sofia City Council.