Tensions Continue to Mount Over the Hike in Parking Fees and Expansion of Blue and Green Zones in Sofia

Tensions continue to mount over the doubling of parking fees in Sofia’s Blue and Green Zones, as well as the expansion of their coverage. Today, November 24, new legal complaints were submitted to the Administrative Court against the approved changes. The mayor of the capital has responded to the criticism in writing.

• 'MRF-New Beginning' Leader Peevski: We Will Challenge Sofia’s Parking Fee Hike in Court

In a Facebook post on November 24, MRF leader Delyan Peevski announced that he will challenge tomorrow the Sofia Municipal Council’s decision to double parking fees in the Blue and Green Zones and to expand their territorial scope. He described the actions of Mayor Vasil Terziev and the Municipal Council as “an arrogant display against the people of Sofia,” adding that the fee increase “fails to solve a single parking problem in the city.”

Today, Maya Manolova, chair of the civic platform Stand Up.BG and a lawyer, also filed a complaint with the Administrative Court. She argued that the municipal decision is “completely illegal.”

Manolova said: “The procedure was severely violated. Such an important decision affecting the lives of Sofia residents was made without the public consultation required by law and the regulations of the Sofia Municipal Council. They only conducted written consultations, and over 80% of respondents expressed opposition. The report and the justification for the decision contain no financial rationale whatsoever.”

The European Centre for Transport Policy also submitted a complaint, focusing not on the fee increase itself but on procedural violations.

Diana Rusinova from the Centre said: “Expanding the Blue and Green Zones requires prior measures for traffic management, which the municipality cannot currently implement, as there is still no General Traffic Organisation Plan. Our main objection is that there is no project, investment plan, or measures to expand the zones through multi-storey parking facilities or any alternative solutions.”

Mayor Vasil Terziev responded on Facebook to Peevski, noting that the MRF leader is concerned about Sofia residents. Terziev added that the expanded zones will effectively change the city, providing more available spaces for residents and reducing chaos and traffic congestion.