Healthcare professionals remain ready for protest action following discussions at the Ministry of Health

Protest actions will continue depending on the course of negotiations and the progress achieved for healthcare specialists. This was stated to journalists by the Chairperson of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals (BAHP), Diana Georgieva, after her meeting with the Minister of Health, Silvi Kirilov.

As of today, healthcare specialists from across the country have launched protests due to unfulfilled commitments by the authorities regarding the guarantee of a minimum wage of €1,550.

According to Georgieva, the meeting was constructive, with measures outlined to develop a mechanism ensuring a specific amount reaches every healthcare specialist. This is expected to become possible in about two months, following the development of a methodology for fund distribution.

Both she and the Health Minister declined to comment on specific parameters. “We do not wish to speculate on amounts at this stage. Once the details are clarified, we will be able to explain the mechanism that will be applied to ensure the funds reach our colleagues,” Georgieva noted.

It also became clear from her words that the €100 million program announced by Deputy Minister Yavor Penchev will not be the only financial source for the sector. “These funds are not the only ones, but for us, the ultimate achievement is what matters—a real improvement in the income of every healthcare specialist. Anything else would be mere speculation,” she emphasized.

Minister Silvi Kirilov also expressed moderate optimism regarding the negotiation results. “This is not our first meeting. Various options have been discussed, and we are now taking a new path. I am convinced that a result will be achieved that meets the expectations of these specialists, who are key to the healthcare system,” he stated.

According to the Minister, a significant financial resource will be distributed starting next year through the program currently under preparation.

The BAHP further informed that specialists and medical facilities from across the country participated in today’s protests, including Sofia, Varna, Pazardzhik, Vidin, Razgrad, Yambol, Haskovo, Stara Zagora, Kardzhali, Smolyan, Shumen, Kyustendil, Gabrovo, Silistra, Montana, and other regions.

The main demands of healthcare specialists remain unchanged—a starting salary of €1,550 for everyone in the system and a real opportunity for public funding of outpatient healthcare for newborns, as well as for patients with stroke, heart attack, and oncological diseases.

Until a clear and guaranteed solution is reached, the BAHP calls on its members to remain ready for protest and not to remove the ribbons reading “I am protesting!”. The organization also appealed to political formations not to use the protest for political purposes, defining it as entirely social.