The Sofia Municipal Council is set to consider a proposal to inject nearly €41.8 million into the municipal company Stolichen Elektrotransport through a capital increase. The funding is intended to cover advance payments under existing contracts for new public transport vehicles and prevent the agreements from being jeopardized due to payment delays.
The financing has been postponed because Bulgaria has yet to adopt a state budget for 2026, a delay that has also held up municipal budgets. However, with contractual deadlines approaching, city officials argue that the funds must be secured immediately to avoid the risk of contract termination.
The proposal, submitted by Deputy Mayors Georgi Klisurski and Viktor Chaushev together with municipal councilors, calls for Sofia Municipality to provide the financing through a cash contribution in exchange for newly issued shares in Stolichen Elektrotransport. The money would be used exclusively for advance payments tied to the purchase of 20 new low-floor, air-conditioned articulated trams, 40 articulated trolleybuses, 35 standard 12-meter trolleybuses, and 50 fast-charging electric buses, along with the installation of 16 charging stations.
The planned investment would allow the municipality to implement previously approved transportation projects, including the launch of five new trolleybus routes and two new electric bus lines. It would also support the electrification of six existing bus routes, the extension of two trolleybus lines, and improved service frequency on two additional routes.
