The Bulgarian Ministry of Health has expressed support for the Bulgarian Medical Association’s proposal to raise the prices of all medical services by 25 percent, with officials indicating that the adjustment could be implemented at the earliest legally possible moment when a new budget is adopted. According to acting Health Minister Assoc. Prof. Mihail Okoliyski, the request is considered justified in the context of rising costs across the healthcare system.

“We support this demand,” he said, noting that “medical devices, all activities in the healthcare sector are increasing,” and adding that price updates should be made “at the first convenient moment” to reflect current conditions and serve both patients and healthcare workers.

The minister pointed to significant gaps in funding across the system, identifying palliative care and psychiatric services as the most under-resourced areas. He described conditions in psychiatric care as particularly severe, highlighting the situation at the Lovech psychiatric hospital, which he said operates on a “historic budget” that effectively mirrors last year’s levels and does not allow for modernization or improvements.

He also noted that psychiatric care remains structurally weak, stating that there are currently “zero” clinical pathways in the sector. According to him, proposals for new pathways have been under discussion for years, including four initiatives put forward in 2022, covering both adult and child psychiatry. He stressed that interest in the specialty remains very low and that the system continues to face critical shortages.

The caretaker minister also confirmed the suspension of several public procurement procedures, including tenders related to oncology services and mosquito control. He criticized delays in vector control operations, saying that spraying against mosquitoes should have taken place in March, when larvae are most vulnerable along the Danube and other water bodies. He also suggested that the procurement process has been structured in a way that limits equal access for all participants, though he declined to elaborate further, saying: “You said it, I am trying to be diplomatic.”

Authorities are now working to restart the suspended procurement procedures. At the same time, concerns have been raised about delays under Bulgaria’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, particularly regarding the construction of medical helicopter bases. The minister warned that the country risks losing funding, noting that no physical construction has yet begun and that five of the planned sites still lack building permits, although he expressed hope that approvals could be issued soon.

On long-term healthcare infrastructure, Okoliyski said the planned National Children’s Hospital remains projected for completion around 2030, though several uncertainties remain. He pointed to unresolved issues regarding the designated site, explaining that current conditions may not allow for the construction of a helipad at ground level, meaning it would likely need to be placed on the hospital roof.