Bulgarian doctors are ready to come out on protests in September in response to cuts in hospital funding, announced the head of the Bulgarian Medical Association Tsvetan Raychinov.

The decision was adopted on an emergency sitting of the Medical Association Wednesday.

Raychinov complained of the “self-willed and unlawful actions of the National Health Insurance Fund”, which according to him must pay to hospitals for activities they have conducted and not based on a monthly budget.

Wednesday hospitals reported cuts ranging from 30% to 50% and said that funds are not enough even for covering staff salaries.

The head of the Bulgarian Medical Association added that this has lead many hospitals that were previously prospering to enter into debt.

Some of Bulgaria's hospitals have refused to sign the contract annexes sent to them by the Health Insurance Fund, while even hospitals that have signed them vowed to join the protest.

Monday Raychinov had announced that due to the cuts in funding hospitals in Bulgaria will not be performing planned surgeries, unless patients pay for themselves all consumables.

Earlier Wednesday the head of the National Health Insurance Fund Neli Nesheva stated that hospitals are engaging in speculation by claiming their funds have been cut. Nesheva moreover said that the money alloted for medical help in 2010 is actually more than that for 2009.