Once a year, a traditional Viennese Ball is held in Sofia. This year's event was a welcome opportunity for both capitals to exchange views on the current priorities of their city administrations. Sofia's Mayor, Vassil Terziev, welcomed Aslıhan Bozatemur, Member of the Vienna City Council and the Vienna Provincial Government for a constructive expert discussion before the ball.
This year's ball was held on 21 February under the patronage of not only the Mayor of Sofia, but also the Mayor and Governor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, and the Austrian Ambassador, Andrea Ikić-Böhm. The proceeds went to the charitable foundation "Ela i Ti".
Sofia's reform agenda gains momentum
During discussions prior to the event, Vassil Terziev and Aslıhan Bozatemur agreed on the role of the European Union in urban policy. In view of current global developments, both would like to see Brussels take more decisive action. In any case, progressive projects involving experts are essential for Sofia, in order to make effective use of EU funding. According to Mayor Terziev, infrastructure and digitalisation are currently priorities in Sofia.
Unlike in Vienna, many municipal apartments in Sofia have been privatised. While there were around 100,000 in the 1990s, only about 7,000 units are now owned by the city. Terziev believes that a social housing project must be designed for the long term. Sofia's city administration also wants to digitise all public services. According to Terziev, cities can only keep pace in the global environment if they continue to develop at the same speed, with digital administration also benefiting citizens.
Vienna public transport annual pass as best practice for Sofia
Aslıhan Bozatemur showed particular interest in Sofia's newly created administrative structure in the area of security. After all, Sofia is one of the safest cities in Europe. Although crime rates are low, the city is pursuing a preventive approach, as Terziev explained.
Despite the Bulgarian capital's high gross domestic product, some projects have encountered difficulties. This is because the revenue goes to the state, with which the city is not always on the same page due to political differences.
There are currently challenges in waste disposal and transport. Since Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, an annual public transport ticket for 365 leva (the equivalent of 185 euro) has been introduced, based on the Vienna best practice model. The Mayor of Sofia is also aiming for a performance-based bonus system and other investments to counteract the shortage of bus drivers and mechanics.