The Trade Union of Bulgarian Medical Specialists has declared readiness for protest actions and an effective strike, according to a statement published on Facebook addressed to the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Finance and Health, the Ombudsman and all parliamentary groups.

The healthcare professionals  are ready to take drastic action due to the severe and long-neglected crisis in the healthcare system, caused by chronic underfunding and the devaluation of their work. They demand that their salaries be increased to at least 150% of the national average wage, in line with their professional qualifications and responsibilities.

• Nurses protest in front of the Ministry of Health

“It is unacceptable for the state to allocate funds for salary increases only in certain sectors – such as education and the Ministry of Interior – while systematically ignoring healthcare”, the statement reads. The medical specialists point out that since the government managed to find 15 million BGN (EUR 7.5 million) for updating the salaries of public transport workers, “this clearly shows that when there is political will – there are also financial resources.”

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Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov

Photo: archive