Minister of Social Policy Awards Employees for Their Active Role in Uncovering Illegal Care Homes

Employees of the Agency for the Quality of Social Services (AQSS) received official distinctions for their contributions, personally presented by Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov on July 11. The awards recognise the staff’s active role in uncovering illegal care homes for elderly people. The care homes operaed under the guise of rental accommodations.

At the beginning of last month, authorities exposed a scheme in which rooms advertised as rentals were, in fact, being used to provide unlicensed social services to elderly individuals. Investigations revealed inhumane treatment of residents, lack of basic hygiene standards, and absence of medical care. It was also discovered that many of these facilities were operating without the legally required licenses.

Borislav Gutsanov, Minister of Labour and Social Policy, said: “Over the past month, we managed to uncover 12 illegal care homes and evacuate over 400 people. This would not have been possible without you. You were the silent heroes — thank you!”

Viktoria Tahova, Director of AQSS, added: “If these people hadn’t stood up — hadn’t shown their faces in the fight against lawlessness, against inhumane and degrading treatment — we wouldn’t be here today.”

The recognition highlights the crucial role of regulatory bodies in safeguarding human dignity and ensuring the lawful provision of social care services.

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