Municipal councilors from "Save Sofia" emphasized that today's bike parade, which began at "Narodno Sabranie" Square, cannot replace the actual projects, funding, and construction required for a genuine cycling policy. While such events visualize what the capital could look like with more space for cyclists, the organization stated that it supports every real step toward turning the bicycle into a safe alternative for urban mobility.
According to "Save Sofia" representatives, after nearly three years in office, new surveys, events, or promises are no longer enough. It is now necessary to move toward fulfilling the commitments made in 2023 to develop Sofia's cycling network. During today's kickoff, the movement's municipal councilors joined the parade with banners from their election campaign, showcasing the specific routes promised for the current mandate.
"It is great that the mayor is organizing such a bike parade. I only wish this weren't just another PR stunt, but a prelude to the apology he owes to everyone who voted for him, because he promised that Sofia would build a connected and high-quality network of bike lanes," said municipal councilor Hristo Koparanov.
The issue of cycling infrastructure in the city became particularly heated following the scandal involving leaflets stating that riding bicycles in parks would result in fines. The aftermath of the large cycling protest that followed the event led to demands for the creation of a maintained and safe network. In response to the pressure, the mayor announced a plan to build over 20 km of new and renovated bike paths by the end of his term and proposed a survey for citizens.
However, municipal councilor Stefan Spasov criticized the pace of implementation, noting that the three parties that supported Vasil Terziev had promised an ambitious plan for dozens of kilometers of cycling network to be built every year. Currently, implementation is below 5%. "Even with the promised 20 km, implementation will be just over 10%. We left the coalition that supported Terziev precisely because election promises are not being kept. This cycling plan is just one of many examples," Spasov stated.