Doctors cry foul as pay hikes miss frontline staff
A physician affiliated with the Future for Bulgaria committee raised concerns about whether funding designated for young medical professionals will actually benefit its intended recipients. Dr. Daniel Kiprov voiced skepticism about the distribution plan during a television appearance, arguing that hospital administrators hold excessive control over the allocated resources without sufficient oversight mechanisms.
The general practitioner highlighted severe wage disparities within the healthcare sector as a fundamental issue that remains unaddressed. Facility directors earn between 60,000 and 70,000 leva monthly while midwives, nurses and physicians receive just 1,000 to 2,000 leva, he noted. The organization advocates tying compensation to a proportion of average earnings rather than establishing fixed sums. Kiprov warned that overnight shift pay remains at merely 1.60 leva per hour, despite calls for improvement.
Additional systemic problems persist, according to the doctor, who cited inadequate incentives for advanced training and questionable practices in awarding specialty positions through favoritism or corrupt payments. He characterized the cabinet’s recent action as a rushed attempt to suppress discontent rather than implement lasting reforms. Colleagues faced intimidation to prevent their participation in demonstrations, Kiprov said, adding that protests would persist unless meaningful solutions were found.
