Will the Nurses Go On Strike As Well?

The Union of Medical Specialists in Bulgaria has declared its readiness to launch effective protest actions, demanding a 150% increase in base salaries for employees in state and municipal healthcare institutions. This would bring the starting salary for a medical nurse to BGN 3,077 (approx. EUR 1,570). The protest is backed by nurses, midwives, physician assistants, physiotherapists, and carers.

Currently, basic salaries for nurses in state hospitals range between BGN 1,409 and BGN 1,980.

“We are working in conditions of extreme staff shortages, which heavily burdens the remaining colleagues. Meanwhile, our work remains grossly undervalued. A base salary of BGN 1,500 can’t even cover the minimum social standard for a family,” said Tatiana Atanasova, a nurse and head of the Ruse branch of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals.

Years after mass protests demanding fair wages, medical professionals argue that the issue remains unresolved, prompting readiness for extreme actions.

“We’ve seen that when transport workers cause public disruption, their demands are heard. So, we’re also prepared to cause inconvenience to society — but we call on the public to support us. Every one of us is a potential patient,” said Maya Ilieva, chair of the Union of Bulgarian Medical Specialists.

This time they may simply not go to work.

“We may simply not go to work. Technically, that’s considered an ‘unauthorized absence,’ which only results in a warning. Let employers and policymakers consider what happens if thousands of us don’t show up for duty,” she added.

She also emphasized the political nature of the issue:

“This isn’t just about hospital administrators. It’s a political decision. That’s why our protests are not aimed at employers, but at the government, which has ignored the staffing crisis in healthcare for over 20 years. Because similarly with the doctors, although there is a little less crisis, I would say, but there will be the same situation," explained nurse Tatiana Atanasova."

Bulgaria has a chronic shortage of nurses, exacerbated by the large number of hospitals and persistently low wages. Many nurses work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Meanwhile, interest in the profession is at a historic low.

“After four years of training, there are no viable prospects—low pay, poor working conditions, and no incentive to stay in the profession,” said Ilieva.

The result to date - dozens of closed wards and reduced quality of patient care.