Parliament Rejects Bill Aimed at Raising Doctors’ Pay

Bulgarian lawmakers have rejected at second reading a bill amending the Law on Medical Establishments, which was intended to increase funding for healthcare workers.

The vote took place during an extraordinary plenary sitting attended by a group of young doctors who have been protesting for the past six months. Three separate bills had been tabled, each proposing higher pay in the healthcare sector — by Vazrazhdane, We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria (WCC–DB), and the ruling majority. All three were rejected by the parliamentary Health Committee last week.

Committee chair Kostadin Angelov explained that the Joint Governance Council had decided the pay rise should instead be implemented through the budget of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).

The exact provisions of the forthcoming budget bill remain unclear. During the debate in Parliament, as well as in last week’s committee discussions, no specific percentage increases were mentioned — despite persistent demands from the opposition.