The revelations of recent days about the horrific conditions in the illegal homes for the elderly in the villages of Yagoda, Govedartsi and the city of Varna have shocked the public.
Behind these horrifying cases of inhumane treatment of elderly people lies a well-known and long-standing scheme that seems to have remained invisible to the authorities— "the renting out of rooms.”
Among the unethical practices are also donation agreements, which, as it turns out, carry no legal obligations concerning the provision of care. Are there victims seeking justice in court? And is swift justice even possible?
The "rooms for rent" scheme allows illegal homes to operate for years, bypassing a number of standards and legal requirements. The cases uncovered so far show how they initially register as homes for the elderly, then voluntarily surrender their licence and continue operating through rental contracts.
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Angel Dzhorgov - Mayor of Samokov municipality: "These are rooms for rent that are not categorized. They are not guest rooms or boarding houses, so there is no applicable procedure in the respective municipalities."
Another vicious practice are the contracts for donations.
Lawyer Kalina Mihaylova - medical law expert: "This method serves to justify the receipt of funds, but it imposes no obligations on the person providing the services. Donations are not conditional or encumbered in any way."
According to Mihaylova, victims rarely file complaints, and legal cases typically end in administrative penalties. Some of the cases her law firm handles involve lack of proper care, underweight conditions, and failure to comply with doctors' orders.
Lawyer Kalina Mihaylova - medical law expert: "There are not enough experts, and those appointed are often recused due to excessive workload. This leads to significant delays in cases and a diminished sense of justice among the victims’ families," Mihaylova explains.
Operating such facilities without a license is not considered a criminal offense—it is treated as an administrative violation. Owners can only be prosecuted if a specific crime—such as abuse or fraud—can be proven.
Desislava Petrova - Deputy City Prosecutor of Sofia:
"The prosecution cannot enter these facilities unless there is evidence of a specific criminal act. Where such evidence exists, investigations are ongoing. There are pre-trial proceedings and charges have been filed."
In 2021, the Prosecutor's office carried out inspections of homes for the elderly, deficits were found and prescriptions were given. But two years later, those powers were revoked.
Desislava Petrova - Deputy City Prosecutor of Sofia: "At the constitutional level, the prosecution’s authority to oversee legality was removed. Thus, even when irregularities are identified, the prosecution no longer has the ability to issue recommendations."
According to lawyer Mihaylova, Bulgaria lacks adequate regulation and well-structured services for elderly care. The issues are not limited to small rural areas but are present in major cities as well.
"Unlawful practices, lack of care, and unauthorized treatment with both prescribed and unprescribed medication are common," she said.
According to experts, in order to put an end to illegal homes in the form of "rooms for rent", it is necessary to criminalize the provision of social services without a license, strengthen control and increase the capacity of state and municipal homes.
Experts argue that in order to put an end to illegal homes operating under the guise of “rooms for rent,” it is essential to criminalise the provision of social services without a license, strengthen oversight, and expand the capacity of state and municipal care homes.
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