Bulgaria’s doctors’ union warns a rural health project funded by EU money will fail, as practices are staffed by nurses unable to use planned equipment. Nearly 800,000 lack GP access, while low pay drives staff shortages. Protests loom as doctors and nurses demand higher wages.
Bulgaria’s national doctors’ union has sharply criticized the government for mismanaging EU healthcare funds, warning that a key project to establish medical practices in rural areas risks failure. According to Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA) president Nikolay Branzalov, the Ministry of Health’s plan to open 100 healthcare practices in small towns and villages, scaled down from an earlier promise of 300 due to staff shortages, is poorly designed and unlikely to deliver results.
The programme, with a budget of €4.131 million, allocates only €41,000 per practice—mainly for staff salaries—while medical equipment and supplies worth over €38 million are expected to be covered through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility. However, Branzalov argued that the practices will be staffed largely by nurses and paramedics rather than general practitioners, meaning they cannot legally prescribe treatments, issue prescriptions, or operate advanced equipment such as ECG machines or defibrillators. He accused the government of prioritizing EU fund absorption over improving healthcare access, saying resources would be better spent on essentials like ambulances and intensive care vehicles.
Meanwhile, access gaps remain severe in Bulgaria. Nearly 800,000 citizens across 3,891 settlements have no local general practitioner, with many doctors clustered in urban centers. One GP currently serves 1,711 patients, above the national minimum target of 1,650. Incentives for rural postings have had little effect, with just 34 new practices opened in two years.
The rural health initiative comes amid wider discontent in Bulgaria’s healthcare sector. Low salaries for nurses and junior doctors are fueling staff shortages, as many earn under €1,000 per month. Medical workers are demanding wages set at 150% of the national average (€1,900), a change that could increase healthcare spending by up to €1.1 billion. Parliamentary debates on the issue are expected in September.
