Bulgaria's newly appointed Health Minister, Desislava Atanasova, has added drivers licenses to the list of IDs that would not be provided to those who do not pay health insurance contributions.

Atanasova has already declared that Bulgarians who do not pay health insurance may be deprived of certain administrative services, including receiving identity cards,

She now says she had made the proposal already in her capacity of Chair of the Parliamentary Health Committee, stressing that such measure would be way more effective than legal sanctions, including jail.

"People who do not pay for health insurance must be punished by being deprived from some rights such as social assistance, voting or driving a car," the Minister is quoted saying.

Atanasova points out that last year when ID cards were replaced would have been a great time to check on everyone's health insurance situation.

She also reported recently that the debt of Bulgarian hospitals for years back has totaled BGN 378 M, which, according to her, is due mainly to the treatment of people without health insurance.

The Bulgarian Monitor daily informs that the Minister had already ordered the managements of these hospitals to explain in writing to whom they owe the money. Atanasova further notes that the creditors are, most likely, pharmaceutical companies.