Public transport workers in Sofia are planning a protest on Thursday morning (18 January). The protest is organized by the Federation of Transport TUs, which is part of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria, and the principal demand is a 30% pay rise as of 1 March. An obstacle standing in the way of meeting this demand is the non-functioning Sofia municipal council, which has been unable to elect a chairperson ever since the local election on 29 October, 2023. This is also hindering the adoption of a budget of Sofia for 2024.
Drivers, conductors and other employees say they cannot wait any longer for politicians to reach some kind of agreement. “In our sphere the starting salary is about 1,300 Leva a month (EUR 665). That kind of money is not enough. We don’t have the time to rest as we work overtime because we are understaffed,” the public transport workers say, as quoted by public service TV BNT.
Plovdiv will offer concerts, bazaars and an ice park for the Christmas and New Year holidays to its citizens and guests, the municipality has announced. Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov will light the Christmas tree in front of the Plovdiv Municipality..
On Thursday, minimum temperatures will range from 3° to 19°C, with eastern areas reaching 15–19°C and Sofia around 6°C. The day will be cloudy with widespread rain. Heavy rainfall is expected in western regions overnight and in central and southern..
“Solutions for achieving peace in Ukraine must be based on fundamental principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.” This was stated by Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev at the informal video..
Overcast, rain
Cloudy