Category: The Media About Us

The Management Board of the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics (BSLAF) strongly opposes another case of aggression towards a medical specialist. This is stated in an opinion of the organization in connection with the attack on a paramedic in Berkovitsa.

‘We express our support to the paramedic with many years of professional experience Lyubomir Ivanov Davidkov from the Berkovitsa FSMP’, the BLAF said and added: “We are convinced that, at a time when the shortage of medical professionals is becoming more visible and problematic, it is absurd and unacceptable for patients to injure medics while caring for their health.

There are over 1300 medical assistants (feldshers) in the country, working in the emergency medical centers and their affiliates. Our colleagues are not only overwhelmed, but also often subject to verbal and physical aggression. The case in FSMP Berkovitsa is not a single one. Unfortunately, we have come to the point where we need urgent help to restore the public’s faith and respect for medical professionals.”

The Zdrave.net post can be accessed via the button below.

Zdrave.net

You can read the post on Clinika.bg via the button below.

Clinika.bg

DEAR GUESTS/WISE JOURNALISTS,

The Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics (UBLAF) sent to the Health Committee of the National Assembly an opinion on the forthcoming consideration of the Draft Decision on the adoption of actions for a lasting increase in the income of medical specialists, No 51-554-02-228, submitted by Asen Vassilev and a group of MPs on 30 May 2025. BSLAF supports the need to increase the salaries of nurses and midwives, as well as doctors without specialization.

However, the professional association of medical assistants and paramedics insists that pay should be regulated for all categories of medical professionals and not only for those listed in the draft Decision.

We call explicitly for the profession of medical assistant to be included and for the amount of the minimum basic salary to be in line with the professional qualifications they have acquired.

We consider the petitioners’ approach, which puts some professions in a privileged position over others, despite being in the same health care strand, to be unacceptable. The profession of medical assistant is exercised by medical professionals who provide basic medical care by diagnosing, treating and prescribing therapy. The largest number of medical assistants is in emergency care in the country, in school health care, in outpatient care in remote and hard-to-reach places, in social homes, social care facilities, medical facilities for additional treatment and long-term treatment, etc.

As a result of a long-standing short-sighted policy in the health sector, there is a critical shortage of medical assistants, and their exclusion from the measures provided for in the Draft Decision on the adoption of actions to permanently increase the income of health professionals would put them at a disadvantage and create tensions between health care professionals.

The proposal does not fully reflect the need to improve the remuneration of health professionals, linked to their professional qualifications and their powers in terms of job description. There is no fair approach and standard for updating and determining remuneration. The draft decision is entirely aimed at a certain category of specialists, excluding medical assistants, which is unacceptable.

With respect,

Management Board of BSLAF

You can read the BTA publication via the button below:

BTA

The Bulgarian Union for Medical Assistants and Paramedics (BSLAF) announced that it supports the envisaged legal changes to increase the salaries of nurses and midwives, but insists that this should be regulated for all categories of medical professionals. The Union sent its opinion to the Health Committee of the National Assembly, which is preparing the change.

BSLAF insists that the promotion should affect the profession of "Medical Assistant" and that the minimum wage should be consistent with the professional qualification. Medical assistants have the right to diagnose, treat and prescribe therapy. They work in emergency services, in schools and in remote and hard-to-reach settlements. Currently, there is a shortage of such specialists.

You can read the publication in Dnevnik.BG via the button below:

Dnevnik.BG

Support for all attempts to ensure decent remuneration and working conditions for medical specialists was stated by the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics (BULAF) with a letter to the media.

The EU has repeatedly called for a comprehensive reform of the health care system.

In this direction are our efforts to prepare a unified Strategy for the development of medical professions as a tool for achieving regulation and the desired change. We fully support the protests of the young medics and the Syndicate of the Bulgarian Medical Specialists by appealing to the regional structures of BSLAF, especially in the university cities, to take part in the implementation of the protests.

The protesting students and graduate students in medicine insist that the basic gross salary of young doctors and graduate doctors should be linked to the minimum wage and should be 3.4 times the MMS. Healthcare professionals demand an increase of 150% from the average work salary and decent working conditions.

On Tuesday, Podkrepa announced the demands of the protesters. The trade union stressed that one of the first mandatory steps in a positive direction is the conclusion of a new Sectoral Collective Agreement, which will create the necessary framework to ensure at least minimum standards, creating the basis for achieving a lasting improvement in working conditions and wages. The union said it was ready for strike action.

The Bulgarian Medical Association recognized the need for adequate remuneration, but noted that the current protest demands sound like a return to the model of centralized budget financing, in which remunerations are fixed and equal for all. But that would be a step backwards. Currently, the system is so built that wages vary in a wide range depending on the workload, specialty, hospital and the demand for the respective specialist. This flexibility is part of what has been achieved over the past 25 years and it should not be denied, but only upgraded.

The Industry Council for Tripartite Cooperation, chaired by the Minister of Health, has set up two working groups to propose concrete solutions by the end of June.

You can read the publication in OFFNews via the button below

OFFNews

The Management Board of BSLAF supports all attempts to ensure decent remuneration and working conditions for medical specialists, in particular for all our colleagues-medical assistants (feldshers). The Board of BSLAF maintains close contact with the trade unions and professional organizations of medical specialists on all matters concerning our profession.

BSLAF is not a trade union and does not have the functions of one, which is why it does not have the power to negotiate pay and working conditions, but it has always supported and will support trade unions and other structures that insist on decent wages and better working conditions for both medical assistants (feldchers) and other medical professionals.

The management of BULAF has repeatedly declared itself for a comprehensive reform of the healthcare system, which is the only way to effectively and permanently solve the problems in the sector.

In this direction are our efforts to prepare a unified Strategy for the development of medical professions as a tool for achieving regulation and the desired change.

We fully support the protests of the young medics and the Syndicate of the Bulgarian Medical Specialists by appealing to the regional structures of BSLAF, especially in the university cities, to take part in the implementation of the protests.

We assure you that BULAF will stand behind every working idea and action, which will contribute to a higher image, working conditions and well-being of healthcare professionals, leading to better quality healthcare in the Republic of Bulgaria.

You can read the publication in the Focus EA via the button below.

IA "Focus"

Medical assistants and paramedics support all attempts to ensure a decent remuneration of medical specialists, the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics announced. The organization maintains close contact with trade unions and professional organizations of health professionals on all matters affecting the profession.

The Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics is not a trade union and does not have the power to negotiate pay and working conditions, but has always supported and will support trade unions and other structures that insist on decent wages and better working conditions for both medical assistants and paramedics and other medical specialists.

A comprehensive reform of the health care system is the only way to effectively and permanently solve the problems in the sector. In this direction are the efforts of the organization to prepare a unified Strategy for the development of medical professions as a tool for achieving regulation and the desired change, added the Union.

Full support for the protests of the young medics and the Syndicate of the Bulgarian Medical Association expressed in their position from the organization and called on their regional structures to participate in the protests.

In a protest a few days ago, young doctors and specialists insisted on raising their salaries, improving working conditions and transparency in specialization competitions. Support for the protest was expressed by the Podkrepa medical federation, the Syndicate of Bulgarian Medical Specialists, etc. The Ministry of Health also expressed support for the graduates, but pointed out that the wage-setting mechanisms are not directly under the control of the Ministry. The Bulgarian Medical Association announced yesterday that the Ministry of Health could increase direct subsidies for residents.

You can read the BTA publication via the button below:

BTA

You can read the publication in Slinica.bg via the button below:

Clinic.BG

You can read the publication in Clinica.bg via the button below:

Clinica.bg

TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA Mr RUMEN RADEV

TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY Ms NATALIA KISELOVA

TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION ON HEALTH DR. KOSTADIN ANGELOV

TO THE MINISTER-PRESIDENT MR ROSEN ZHELYAZKOV

TO THE MINISTER OF HEALTH DOC. SILVI KIRILOV

TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE Mr KRASIMIR VALCHEV

TO THE RETORS OF THE HIGH MEDICAL SCHOOLS

TO CITUB, CT SUPPORT AND NS PROTECTION

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals, the Bulgarian Association of Assistant Pharmacists (BAPF) and the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants/Feldshers categorically distance ourselves from any attempts to embarrass and oppose the health care professions, because we believe that they cause irreparable harm to the interests of patients and their trust in the health system.

In our opinion, all those who have chosen the protection of human health as their professional career are equally responsible for respecting ethical standards and protecting the professional prestige and dignity of workers in the sector.

We take this position because we are provoked by deeply unethical suggestions about our professionalism, knowledge and skills and we call on the state institutions to start the long-awaited process of reforms aimed at achieving a balance of interests in the sector.

We hope that legislative changes in line with good European practices and medical standards will be launched in the near future.

We are categorical that this process should start immediately, because the negatives of imbalances in the system are obvious and increase with each passing day.

We expect real actions for an in-depth discussion with the participation of representatives of our professional organizations for making forward-looking and working decisions!

With respect:

Diana Georgieva - Chairman of BAPZG

Lilyana Petrova - Chairman of BAPF

Alexander Alexandrov - Chairman of BSLAF

You can read the news in the Bulgarian News Agency via the button below.

BTA