Staff Shortages and Low Pay: Medical Workers Protest in Front of the Health Ministry

Medical professionals are protesting today, May 12, in front of the Ministry of Health in Sofia on their professional holiday — International Nurses Day.

Among their demands are decent wages of 150% of the average wage.

The protest is organised by the Union of Bulgarian Medical Specialists under the slogan "Dignity, Not Silence."

Medical professionals from across the country gathered outside the Ministry, blocking traffic on Maria Luiza Boulevard. Protesters argued that there is a lack of effective national policy to retain qualified healthcare staff.

They alarm that if the salaries are not increased and the working conditions of all workers are not changed, we will again end up with the closure of wards and even entire hospitals.

“Our demand, in order to make up for the shortage of personnel, is a 150% increase in base salaries compared to the national average for the public sector. In actual numbers, that means around 3,077 BGN as a base salary for the profession. I believe this is a decent starting wage, especially considering that supermarket chains are now offering starting salaries of 2,500 BGN, while some of our colleagues are still earning between 1,200 and 1,500 BGN. This is absurd,” said one of the protesters.

The demonstrators also called for a meeting with Ministry of Health officials. If such a meeting does not take place, they warned that their protests will continue in other forms.