Medical staff at state psychiatric hospitals across Bulgaria have initiated protests, demanding a 50% salary increase and warning of a collective resignation if their demands are not met. The protests began in several hospitals, including the State Psychiatric Hospital in Sevlievo, where staff members are particularly vocal about their concerns. The staff at this facility highlighted that orderlies are paid the minimum wage, nurses receive 1,600 leva, doctors without a specialty earn 2,000 leva (1,000 euros), and doctors with a specialty are paid 2,400 leva. The head of the hospital has expressed support for the protest, stating that the aging workforce at the facility could lead to its closure if staff members retire.

The protest, which is set to continue until Wednesday, has been organized in response to the increasingly difficult working conditions in psychiatric care across the country. Dr. Tsvetislava Galabova, the director of St. Ivan Rilski Psychiatric Hospital, warned that psychiatric care in Bulgaria is on the brink of collapse due to the poor wages and lack of motivation among medical staff. She stressed the need for a system that evaluates the work of healthcare professionals in mental health care, alongside annual salary adjustments. The staff’s primary demand is a 50% pay raise and recognition of their work as second category.

In Sevlievo, workers from the State Psychiatric Hospital have joined the protests, with their demands focused on securing a salary increase as part of the 2025 budget. Currently, doctors at the facility earn 2,100 leva, nurses are paid 1,600 leva, and orderlies are on the minimum wage. Protesters plan to demonstrate outside the hospital at 2:00 p.m., when the first shift ends. The chairman of the local trade union, Nevin Padikova, clarified that the protest will not disrupt patient care, as only employees who are not on duty will participate in the action.

Before initiating the protests, the workers submitted a petition to the authorities, outlining their demands. With 108 employees at the Sevlievo hospital, the protest reflects the broader dissatisfaction within the sector, which is facing a shortage of adequately compensated and motivated staff.