Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Life expectancy has decreased by a year and a half in 2020

Photo: BGNES

Minister of Health Stoycho Katsarov has singled out three main risks for high morbidity and mortality in case of a fourth Covid-19 wave - low rate of vaccination, poor management of the crisis last year and extremely poor situation of the Bulgarian healthcare system.

"Unfortunately, this risk cannot be overcome within a month or two, because our healthcare system is severely unbalanced," he said at a hearing in the National Assembly. The Minister referred to the opinion of experts, according to which the wrong approach to vaccination has taken the lives of about 10 thousand people. "Some of these lives would have been saved if we had given priority to the elderly," Stoycho Katsarov added.

According to him, in 2020 life expectancy has decreased by a year and a half, which is a "catastrophic result." The minister reiterated that he was against mandatory vaccination against coronavirus.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Christmas town opens in Plovdiv’s central square

Plovdiv will offer concerts, bazaars and an ice park for the Christmas and New Year holidays to its citizens and guests, the municipality has announced. Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov will light the Christmas tree in front of the Plovdiv Municipality..

published on 11/27/25 8:05 AM

Bulgaria faces widespread rain and cooler temperatures

On Thursday, minimum temperatures will range from 3° to 19°C, with eastern areas reaching 15–19°C and Sofia around 6°C. The day will be cloudy with widespread rain. Heavy rainfall is expected in western regions overnight and in central and southern..

published on 11/26/25 7:05 PM

Georg Georgiev: Support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia must continue

“Solutions for achieving peace in Ukraine must be based on fundamental principles of the UN Charter, such as sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.” This was stated by Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev at the informal video..

published on 11/26/25 6:41 PM