Young doctors rage as parliament backtracks
Bulgarian medical students rejected a parliamentary decision on Wednesday to withdraw legislation addressing physician compensation. Vasilena Dimitrova, a state broadcaster, told BNT that protesters want written proposals before ending demonstrations outside government buildings.
Lawmakers plan to insert salary provisions into the 2026 Health Fund Budget Act instead of passing separate measures. Health committee chairman Kostadin Angelov indicated doctors would receive 150 percent of average national wages, though he provided no exact figures.
Dimitrova said young physicians need a guaranteed minimum income while completing clinical training requirements. The student representative warned that promised retraining incentives disappeared from draft legislation without explanation.
Parliament must submit budget documents by October 31. Protesters demand market-based pay scales for medical workers across Bulgaria’s healthcare system.
