Parking Reform in Sofia: Discontent after the Adopted Changes

A wave of public discontent has followed yesterday’s decision by Sofia’s Municipal Council to approve a major reform of the city’s parking system.

Under the changes, the price of paid parking zones will double, and the scope of the Green Zone will be further expanded. The reforms take effect on 5 January.

The local authority says that the additional revenue will be invested in new car parks and in street repairs across neighbourhoods within the zones.

Official: Double Parking Fees and Expansion of the Blue and Green Zones in Sofia

Dimitar Petrov, municipal councillor from 'We Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria':
“The reform is expected to generate revenues of nearly 100 million leva – that is, 60 million more. What we voted for yesterday is a programme that clearly sets out the infrastructure projects in which a large part of these new funds will be spent.”

"Save Sofia" Criticises Mayor of the Capital over Parking Reform

Ivan Videlov, municipal councillor from the Bulgarian Socialist Party:
“It seems our colleagues decided this was the right moment to forget all the promises made — that Bulgarians would not feel the transition to the euro, that it would be one-to-one. Everything has turned out exactly the opposite. Apparently, it was difficult for some to calculate what 2 leva is in euros, how many cents it makes. So they simply turned 2 leva into 2 euros. This is outright extortion.”

Here is what some Sofia residents had to say:

“The prices are far too high for the Bulgarian standard of living, for our salaries and our financial possibilities. In recent years the parking spaces have become fewer, yet prices keep going up.”

“It’s not great. Where exactly is the money from the zones going? If it really goes into street repairs in neighbourhoods with zones, that’s good — but I doubt it.”

“I’m a student, and I have classmates who commute from Pernik by car — it’s definitely not pleasant for them.”