If one asks the citizens of Sofia about the changes spotted across the city over the past year, the answers will be various – from the new and more comfortable buses and tramways to their more regular schedule. Those have replaced the old, cold and worn out public transport vehicles. Other citizens might outline the expansion of the paid parking zone downtown, which has freed some space along the sidewalks and smaller streets. The bike lanes drawn have also limited the number of cars parked along the major streets and boulevards. The year will be remembered with the enhanced construction of the third part of Sofia’s subway which required flexible reorganization of city traffic around the construction sites.

“The entire budget of the capital city is aimed mainly at improving the air quality,” Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova explained upon presenting the municipality’s 2018 financial plans. The Sofia budget over the next year will amount to over EUR 700 mln., which is EUR 50 mln. more than in 2017. A substantial part of this increase comes not from taxes and municipal fees pushed up, but from the growth of the state funding for teachers, social workers and nurses’ salaries. Sofia taxes haven’t been changed since 2009; however some administrative services’ prices have been changed in 2017, the municipal administration recalls.

The good news for the city came a week ago from the Standard & Poor’s that proclaimed the raising of Sofia’s long-term credit rating from BB+ to BBB- with a stable outlook. Mayor Fandakova explains how the city will benefit from this:

“The report of the rating agency itself says that strict financial discipline and the attraction of investments remained an important factor for Sofia’s development. The most important thing is that the capital receives investment credit rating for the first time now – this means lots of benefits for Sofia Municipality and also for Sofia’s companies and business. The credit agency’s assessment shows that we are on the right path – with a very conservative policy and taking of debts only with the purposes of investment we will continue to develop our city in the future.”

Improvement of urban infrastructure, ecology and education – these are the priorities, most often outlined by Mayor Fandakova. The increased number of vehicles in the capital over the past years and the household air pollution focal points (caused by the use of wood and coal for heating during the winter) made the issue a priority for Sofia Municipality through the year. “The overall activity is aimed at improvement of Sofia’s environment and many of the measures have been taken with the purpose of better quality of the air. We envisage more budget funding for cleaning and washing of the streets, which is an important factor for harmful emissions’ reduction,” Yordanka Fandakova says and adds:

“The further construction of subway lines will continue to be the major strategic project in 2018 as well. It will be a key year for its development. Let me remind you that this measure only – the inclusion of the subway’s 3^rd ray is expected to reduce harmful emissions by 90,000 tons per year. Besides that in 2018 we envisage the purchase of 144 new buses and 20 electrical buses will be ordered too. Reconstructions are forthcoming of key tramway lines, such as the ones along the Tsar Boris III Blvd., the Graf Ignatiev Str., the Kamenodelska Str. We envisage the overall renewal of the Graf Ignatiev Str. and the Slaveikov Square.”

The rescue reconstruction of the Bankya neighborhood’s public mineral bath is forthcoming too. It was built in the early 20^th century and proclaimed a monument of culture. “A contractor has already been selected, so the renewal of this beautiful building starts in 2018 – it is emblematic for Sofia’s huge water wealth,” the Mayor says in conclusion.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev