We have many common views and priorities – politics is made on this basis, not on stubbornness, with spells and whims of the leaders, says the municipal councilor from “Sinya Sofia”
- Redevelopment in the southern neighborhoods should stop and the northern ones should be developed
- I am convinced that there will be no new elections for metropolitan municipal councilors in 3 months
- We are waiting for a road map from the mayor for the relocation of the Monument to the Soviet Army, there are no longer any excuses for this to be delayed
- The voters of PP-DB-SS, GERB and BSP will understand them if they agree – people want to work for the city
- Let’s start the lifts on Vitosha, let’s launch a city railway and provide homes for old people
- Vasil Terziev’s idea of donating his salary is a good one, it can attract others to support meaningful causes
– Mr. Lilkov, is it possible that you will turn out to be the solution to the deadlock in the Metropolitan Municipal Council (SOC) – as the doyen Vezhdi Rashidov was elected as the parliamentary head and the work of the 48th National Assembly was unblocked?
– The municipal council has not yet fallen into a deadlock, because all the options for electing a chairman have not been exhausted, and the leading political forces have not even started talks among themselves.
The parties are in the grip of the election fever and continue with the spells, but gradually the degree will decrease. They will soon realize that citizens expect to see a willingness to work and concrete solutions, and therefore they will become more lenient and ready to compromise. A solution will be found, and the key to this is an agreement between the leading parties in the SOS.
– However, observers also said that you may turn out to be the compromising person for the chairmanship, since the candidacy of Boris Bonev is clearly being blocked. Is the Wednesday position of “Yes, Bulgaria” a sign in this direction – a categorical ban on their advisers in the capital and in the country supporting the actions of those from “Vazrazhdane”?
– I am not familiar with the reasons for this position, but given the fundamental differences between the “Vazrazhdane” party and the pro-European parties and coalitions in Bulgaria, this seems logical to me.
– Your programs for Sofia are extremely close to GERB-SDS and PP-DB-SS. Is there a way for this to become a basis for finding a way back together, or do you predict that the politics of stubbornness will continue?
– You correctly note – “policy of stubbornness”! The analysis we did in “Sinya Sofia” shows that there is a common understanding that the reconstruction in the southern districts of the capital must stop; that the northern territories of the municipality must be developed and the creation of fast roads in this direction is imperative; that the lifts of Vitosha should be modernized as soon as possible and it should become much more accessible without building more.
Regarding the mineral springs, there is a unanimous opinion that this is a neglected wealth of Sofia, and their development will give a powerful boost to tourism, which for me is a priority.
Everyone emphasized that the problem of places in kindergartens is severe, to which I also add the problem of places in homes for the elderly. Who would not support the creation of a four-year program “Home for our children and parents”?
The general opinion is that together with the state we should discuss the idea of the so-called a city railway to serve the capital and suburban areas from Pernik to Elin Pelin.
Who does not agree that the metro should be developed and that environmentally friendly urban transport should enter the small neighborhoods to bring people from the more remote parts of the large complexes to the metro stations?
No one is against that! I know that voters will accept an agreement between the political formations in order to fulfill these priorities. I describe these things because they are the basis of governance, not the spells and whims of leaders!
– Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev announced after his meeting with Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov that he will talk to all political forces. Is status dating you?
– This is the right approach – for the mayor to seek the majority that will guarantee him the implementation of his management program.
Without solid support from mainstream political forces, he will be in a weak position.
We will respond to a meeting if we are invited, but I emphasize – the key to the decision lies in the first three political formations in the SOS!
– Is it possible to reach new elections for municipal councilors in three months?
– I am convinced that this situation will not come to that. Parties that allow this to happen, which is highly unlikely, will have to hide in the next election.
– Explain how you envision the signing of this agreement for the management of Sofia. And isn’t this idea of yours actually complementary to another one that various observers have launched in recent days – that it is you who can be the figure to lead the SOS in a compromise?
– Above, I shared the common understandings of most of the political parties and coalitions in the SOS about the municipality’s problems. They are precisely the basis of an agreement on general management, which must precede the election of the chairman of the SOS.
The decision must be made by the first political forces in the SOS, because the voter’s will is such. Without an agreement between PP-DB-SS with GERB-SDS or with the left, there will be no stable government. Accordingly, the chairman of the SOS will not be elected either, because it is logical that he should be elected from among the ruling majority in order to have solid support.
– And can there be a rotation chairman at 33 Moskovska?
– This management formula is currently being applied experimentally at the national level and we see how many problems it creates. Sofia now needs a more stable solution.
– One of your first questions is about the relocation of the Monument to the Soviet Army. Could finally deciding the fate of the monument become a unifier between you and other right-wing, ie. PP-DB-SS, GERB and your “Blue Sofia” to come together on this?
– From “Sinya Sofia” we expect to receive from the mayor a very clear answer about the dismantling, more precisely a “road map” for actions in this direction. There are no more excuses with the government, parliament or regional governor – everyone has so far clearly declared their position. It’s time to act.
We must not forget our other question – about the construction of the monument to engineer Ivan Ivanov, which has been delayed and sabotaged for 12 years. We will not give up on him either!
– In your opinion, what will be the next most important decisions for Sofia?
– We are preparing proposals for a Program for the exploration and exploitation of mineral springs, a Program for the construction of 24 sports halls in the schools of each of the regions of the capital.
We will ask the mayor to propose a program for putting up road signs in the streets and neighborhoods in the Metropolitan Municipality, because they are lacking everywhere; we will submit a proposal to the Metropolitan Inspectorate to create a licensed noise control and combat unit; we will insist that the development of projects for the transformation of small neighborhoods or parts of them into cozy urban spaces begins.
We have a proposal to direct 30% of the funds from advertising to finance the construction of sports facilities, as well as to double for 2024 the funds for sports and children’s activities.
We will propose to create a working group in the SOS to prepare legislative changes that will ease the work of the municipality, to start talks with the state about the urban railway, we will request that the NKŽI transfer the route of the former ring railway to the ownership of the municipality in order to turn it into a bicycle and pedestrian route, which will be extremely attractive and emblematic of Sofia. The list is long…
But we urgently need to start work on the issue of “Heating” – the problem is serious and must be shared with the state.
– What do you think of the idea of working without a salary?
– You probably mean the mayor Vasil Terziev’s promise to donate his salary?
– Yes.
– A good idea that will probably get other people involved in supporting meaningful causes!
Tags: SOS doyen compromise figure logical chairman nominated political forces sign agreement
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