ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Psychiatric care in Bulgaria relies on only 572 specialists

Workers in state psychiatric hospitals have gone on strike demanding higher salaries and better conditions
Center for mental health in Sofia district
Photo: D-r Vladimir Sotirov

Workers in state psychiatric hospitals have gone on strike demanding higher salaries and better working conditions, including adequate workplace protection, as they work with dangerous patients. 
Silent protest in front of the building of the State Psychiatric Hospital in Tsarev Brod, Shumen region
"Young specialists are fleeing because we do not have decent pay or good working conditions. They prefer to go abroad," said Dr. Kamelia Panova, chairwoman of the "Protection" union at the State Psychiatric Hospital in Lovech. She pointed out that a psychiatric nurse receives 1,300-1,400 leva /665-716 euros/ depending on her length of service.

The Bulgarian Medical Association supported the demands of the psychiatric workers. 

"Bulgaria ranks last in the EU in terms of the number of psychiatrists per 100,000 population - only 8, or more than 3 times less than Germany - the country in the EU with the largest number of psychiatrists. All psychiatric care in Bulgaria is supported by 572 working colleagues, and nearly 300 of them are over 61 years of age. Young staff in the specialty, those under 40, are only 37. And against this background, mental illnesses have seen a visible increase in recent years," the BMA said.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria News    mental illness psychiatric care psychiatrists salaries of doctors salaries of nurses

More from category

Bulgarian President Radev will no longer use National Guard Service transport

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has announced that as of October 20 this year he will travel to work in his personal car. “When a law is being adopted that forces people to do state work in their personal cars, I will stand in solidarity with them,” he..

published on 10/16/25 2:53 PM
General Major Nikolay Rusev

Bulgaria will seek a system for maximum protection against drones

We want to buy a system that has maximum protection against drones. This does not mean that it has a mechanical effect on the drone, but at least that it has some electromagnetic or blocking control of the device. This was explained to BNT by Maj. Gen...

published on 10/16/25 1:22 PM
General Major Nikolay Rusev

Bulgaria will seek a system for maximum protection against drones

We want to buy a system that has maximum protection against drones. This does not mean that it has a mechanical effect on the drone, but at least that it has some electromagnetic or blocking control of the device. This was explained to BNT by Maj. Gen...

published on 10/16/25 1:22 PM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 8 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 7 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 19
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Min: 1 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 17
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 5 | Max: 17
Partly cloudy, chance of rain
Min: 0 | Max: 14
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 1 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 18
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 2 | Max: 15
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 4 | Max: 19
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 16
Mostly Cloudy
Min: 3 | Max: 20
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have finalized a memorandum for joint cooperation on transport projects

Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have finalized a memorandum for joint cooperation on new transport projects, said European Commissioner for..

published on 10/20/25 11:54 AM

European Public Prosecutor’s Office investigates fictitious mussel farm in the Black Sea

Suspicions of large-scale fraud with EU funds in a project to build a mussel farm in the Black Sea – southeast of Cape Emine in the..

published on 10/20/25 1:59 PM

Bulgarian priest proposes prayer service for successful peace talks in Budapest

Russia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Grushko stated that Moscow has not held talks regarding a possible overflight of President..

published on 10/20/25 9:36 AM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"