The condition of young Martin, who was critically injured after being run over by an ATV in Sunny Beach, has been stabilized, according to Prof. Dr. Nikolay Gabrovski, head of the Neurosurgery Clinic at University Hospital and Medical Center "Pirogov." Speaking on BNT, he stressed that while the child’s condition is currently good, recovery will require time and ongoing care. “Traumatic brain injuries are severe, and even with optimal treatment, recovery can be slow or incomplete. In this case, patience and careful management are essential,” Gabrovski said.

A family relative told Nova TV that Martin has not yet regained consciousness. “There is some progress; they are stimulating him to start swallowing,” the relative noted. Doctors have indicated that it may take anywhere from a week to two months before he awakens fully. The relative also provided an update on two other boys injured in an accident near Montana, noting that while their condition is stable, further medical interventions are planned.

On the topic of air-based emergency medical assistance, Prof. Gabrovski praised the coordination that has been established. He explained that initial logistical challenges have been largely overcome, with near-daily communication in August between the hospital and on-site personnel. “We now have an organized system where those on site alert us, we evaluate the feasibility of transport, and proceed accordingly. The workflow has become very efficient,” he said.

Gabrovski also addressed structural issues within Bulgaria’s healthcare system, pointing out that the country has more hospitals than necessary, which leads to dispersed staffing and inefficiencies. “In emergencies, hospitals are sometimes forced to take on social responsibilities as well. Many patients need months or years of care and often remain dependent on external support for life. Unfortunately, we do not have well-developed mechanisms to address long-term care, and the surplus of hospitals exacerbates this problem,” he explained.

Regarding the ongoing protests and demands of young doctors for fairer pay, Gabrovski provided context on the challenges of medical specialization. “The 5 to 8 years of specialization is universally difficult, and Bulgaria’s conditions are not necessarily worse than those in Western Europe or even in past decades. Changes in pay must be implemented carefully. Hospital salaries are tied directly to the funding we receive from the Health Fund for our performed activities. It is not feasible for underperforming hospitals to offer higher wages,” he concluded, emphasizing the constraints faced by the healthcare system.

Meanwhile, in Burgas, authorities are set to bring more serious charges against 18-year-old Nikola Burgazliev, the driver responsible for the ATV accident in Sunny Beach that left 35-year-old Hristina dead and her 4-year-old son in a coma. The act is expected to be reclassified either later today or tomorrow morning, with the charge likely to be causing death as a result of a traffic accident.

Yulian Zdravkov, a relative of the victims, expressed frustration over the slow pace of the legal proceedings. “We think it’s terribly late. Comparing this to the case in Ruse… whether they were late there or not, it won’t bring this young man back. Things are moving very slowly. He should face the strictest possible sentence for what he did, and even that would feel insufficient,” he told Nova TV.

For over a week, Hristina’s family has been unable to receive her body, which is still held pending a forensic examination. Zdravkov indicated that it is expected to be released to the family at the beginning of this week.

He also raised concerns that some facts and circumstances might be deliberately withheld, noting that witnesses present at the scene have reportedly not yet been questioned, which contrasts with how other accidents, such as the one in Ruse, were handled.