In the past two years Bulgaria went through a grave political crisis of credibility of all official institutions and the very way the state functions. The public unrest was focused in the capital city Sofia, where all centres of power are concentrated. This was very trying for the local authorities and most of all for the charismatic mayor of the city Yordanka Fandukova, a political figure whose approval ratings are among the highest in the country. Paradoxically, the city and its administration forged ahead with their plans of making Sofia a better city to live in for its 1.5 million citizens plus half a million commuters.

As a matter of fact Sofia is one of the oldest cities in Europe, a city favoured by many, among them Roman Emperor Constantine who said of Serdica (the ancient name of the city) “Serdica is my Rome”. The oldest archaeological sites unearthed and on display to visitors to this day date back to that same age. This was followed by the Middle Ages and five centuries of Ottoman domination, a period of comparative decline. It was in the late 19^th century, once the restored Bulgarian state had declared the city its capital, that it came into its own.

“I can safely say that 2014 was a successful year,” said Mayor Fandukova even though it was indeed a year of national crisis. And this in spite of Sofia’s failed nomination for European capital of culture 2019, won by Bulgaria’s second biggest city Plovdiv. Most people living in Sofia – whether old-timers or people who have come from other parts of the country more recently – agree and approve of their mayor even though they are highly critical of other political formations or politicians. And with good reason. The city has a motto “Growing but never growing old”; over the past years of the term of office of the former school headmistress it can safely be said that Sofia has been growing, prospering and becoming more modern. Few towns or villages in the country have been implementing so many projects of such social worth on a daily basis and according to plans that meet the real needs of their citizens. In Mayor Fandukova’s words over the past five years 49 kindergartens and two schools were built, 76 schools and kindergartens were renovated to meet the highest energy-efficiency standards.  Twenty-four clubs for senior citizens and the disabled as well as twenty-five centres for people with disabilities have been built, eighty-four kms. of streets and boulevards have been repaired and fourteen kms. of new streets built. Five two-tier flyovers were built and the renovation of urban transport vehicles – buses, trolleybuses and tramcars started. The subway is the municipality’s biggest project – 13.1 km. of metro lines and 13 underground railway stations have been built during Yordanka Fandukova’s term of office.

The local authorities adopted a budget of EUR 750 million, 200 million of which under European prorgammes and projects for the current year - a year when local elections are due that may mean a new mayor of Sofia. Most of this money will be invested – in the continuing renovation of the public transport motor pool, in building more subway stations, in a new waste treatment plant, in replacing the street lamps etc. In the years of crisis, Sofia has remained investor No. 1 for Bulgaria; moreover in that period no rise in local taxes is planned.

Some may suspect that this flurry of activity may be part of the town councilors’ election campaigning. Yordanka Fandukova herself, who is an activist of the ruling right-of-centre GERB party of Premier Borissov admits that whether she will be running in the forthcoming elections or not has not been decided yet. Whatever her decision and the outcome of the elections, the people of Sofia will evidently not stop liking the charismatic lady who has done so much for their city.

English: Milena Daynova