On May 19, 2025, the Sofia metro will maintain its regular operations despite the ongoing strike by ground public transport workers, Metropolitan announced. Additional trains will continue to run on lines 1, 2, and 4, with extra locomotives added to line 3. The adjusted train intervals will remain in place as part of the effort to accommodate passengers affected by the suspension of buses, trams, and trolleybuses in the city.

In a statement, Metropolitan thanked its employees for their dedication amid the disruption and reiterated its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted service during the ground transport blockade. "We will not suspend operations and will continue to support passenger transport across the capital," the statement said.

Negotiations between the protesting transport workers and Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev have been contentious. On Sunday, Terziev announced through the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) that he had invited union representatives for talks at 8 a.m. on May 19, but only if surface transport resumed operations. However, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) said it had not received a formal invitation and only learned of the proposed meeting time through media reports. The union stated that its representatives would still be present outside the Sofia Municipality building at 7:45 a.m., hoping for dialogue.

Union leaders have expressed concerns that the continued blockade could disrupt matriculation exams scheduled for May 21 and 23. The Federation of Transport Workers at the "Podkrepa" Trade Union has pledged to assist students with transportation during the exams, should the strike persist. Education Minister Krasimir Valchev warned that without ground transport, ensuring a smooth exam process would be difficult.

Meanwhile, Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev took to Facebook to address the ongoing crisis, declaring his intention to resist what he termed "the clutches of companies that have been draining the capital's resources for years." He vowed to fight back, stating, "None of us will give up. We will get closer to reclaiming our city. The fight continues."

Terziev has refused the union's demands for salary increases, arguing that pay in the public transport sector already exceeds that of other municipal workers. He also hinted at withholding subsidies to transport companies for the period during which services are not being provided.

The standoff has now entered its sixth consecutive day, with no immediate resolution in sight. The union has warned that if an agreement is not reached by the matriculation exam dates, the blockades will continue. For now, the metro remains the only public transport option for Sofia residents navigating the strike.