Political tensions escalated over the ongoing garbage crisis in Sofia, with senior figures from GERB, DPS-New Beginning, and TISP sharply criticizing Mayor Vasil Terziev, while the Metropolitan Municipality announced new measures aimed at transparency and cleanup progress.

Speaking in Stara Zagora, GERB leader Boyko Borissov used the situation in the capital as a direct comparison with other municipalities, arguing that Sofia illustrates the governing capacity of his political opponents from "We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria" (WCC-DB). He said Terziev should remain in office until the end of his term so citizens could fully assess the results of WCC-DB governance. According to Borissov, GERB offered assistance at the very start of the crisis, but the mayor declined.

Stara Zagora Mayor Zhivko Todorov added a financial comparison, noting that garbage collection in his city costs BGN 109 per ton (about EUR 56), while in Sofia the price exceeds BGN 200 per ton (over EUR 102). Borissov warned his political opponents against taking his statements out of context, particularly regarding protests.

Alongside GERB’s criticism, the parliamentary group of DPS-New Beginning sent formal alerts to the outgoing ministers of environment and health, as well as regional environmental and health authorities in Sofia, urging immediate action. The party called for sanctions, the possible declaration of a state of emergency, and full mobilization of state resources, warning of an ecological and health crisis caused by uncollected waste across the capital.

DPS-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski publicly demanded Terziev’s resignation, later repeating the call in a statement referencing a past remark by WCC leader Asen Vasilev, “Who allowed this outrage?” Peevski accused the mayor and his team of incapacity and lack of responsibility, insisting that the state must intervene. Earlier, TISP leader Slavi Trifonov had also called for Terziev to step down.

In response to the growing pressure, the Metropolitan Municipality announced new steps to monitor cleanup efforts. The Inspectorate will begin issuing daily public reports detailing how much waste has been cleared in affected areas, according to its director Nikolay Nedelkov. He said the situation is gradually improving, including in Lyulin, where additional equipment and vehicles have been deployed. Nedelkov expressed confidence that the district’s problems would be resolved by the end of the month.

However, serious difficulties remain in Slatina, Poduyane, and Izgrev, where the cleanup continues with reinforced capacity and extended operations beyond previous schedules. Nedelkov said this approach has already produced results, with daily waste removal exceeding targets, reaching 110 tons instead of the planned 90 in two districts.