Category: News

Dear Members of the National Council of BULAF,

We left behind an exciting and turning point - the establishment of our professional organization, defined by law. In 2024, Decree No 132 of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria promulgated in the State Gazette the Act amending the Act on professional organisations of nurses, midwives and associated medical specialists, dental technicians and assistant pharmacists, adopted by the National Assembly on 24 April 2024.

According to these amendments, BLAF is defined as a professional organisation as of 1 May 2024. Medical assistants/feldchers are now free professionals with a separate and independent professional organisation.

A fundamental objective of the Union is to protect and represent the rights and interests of medical assistants and paramedics.

It was the beginning of a new age, an age of ascension for our class. This will remain in the history of our profession, because we are moral people responsible for our own destiny, because we have made this history, and we have not been bystanders.

We have revived our profession from the ashes and this fills me with pride. Immediately after the establishment of our union began consolidation of the profession and construction of regional structures. The process was difficult - given the new factual situation, in many regions colleagues needed clarification and help in the creation of local structures. With a lot of effort and will, we managed to build a working structure of the organization on a national level and to set the beginning of BSLAF as a monolithic organization that enjoys respect and respect in the medical community. Preparatory activities for organizing and building the activities of the organization began immediately after the publication of the Law. Since 1 November 2024, the registration of the regional colleges in each district city has also started and the active activity of BULAF has started. To this end, we undertook a series of difficult, even sometimes impossible negotiations and dialogues with, on the one hand, the Ministry of Health and, on the other hand, the Regional Health Inspectorates. Unfortunately, in Bulgaria, things are set in such a way that in order to fulfill their duties, civil servants must be asked, pressured, persuaded. We've done it.

Dozens of consultations and talks were held with lawyers, experts and financiers to prepare and submit the necessary documents for the legal accreditation of the professional organization, including BULSTAT registration. After consultations and relevant researches, a bank was selected in which BSLAF opened its bank accounts. With persistence, perseverance and dedication, despite the difficulties and obstacles, we began to build our verbal project in order to equalize and stand with dignity and equal to all other medical professions, for years having their own professional organizations. This was done by the people around me: the management of the then active non-governmental organisation - BULAF until the date of our recognition as an official and legal professional association. These people worked tirelessly, devotedly and gratuitously for the cause. We worked with the possibility of a rematch, hand in hand, motivated by the realization of a dream. We have worked with our personal contacts and resources and with a lot of effort we have achieved incredible success to provide you with what is BLAF now - a serious and respectful professional organization with solid capabilities, performing its functions perfectly.

We have created stability for our profession and our professional community, but this should not reassure us, because there is still a lot of serious work to come to the big results and big victories.

Dear colleagues,

Our statement is of exceptional historical importance for the Bulgarian society, with a clear identity and authority.

Further, I would like to briefly inform you about the organizational activities carried out by the Management Board and the management of BSLAF. Thanks to the dedicated work of colleagues and the administrative staff of the Union, three official administrative registers have been created, with my express order, and have been approved, which are kept in the BULAF – a register book of incoming mail, a register book of outgoing mail and a register of orders issued by the Chairman of the Board of BULAF. In connection with the requirement of Art. 7 of the BULSTAT Register Act for mandatory indication of the seat and address of management of the Union, reflecting the actual settlement of BULSTAT, the following actions were taken: Thanks to the stubborn negotiations conducted by Ms G. Zaharieva, Deputy Chairperson of BULAF, on 31 January 2025 a lease agreement was concluded with Glavbolgarstroy International AD for two office premises located on the ground floor at: Sofia, 136-A Tsar Boris III Blvd. Parking spaces for the needs of BLAF are also provided to the lease agreement. Utility costs are borne by the landlord as BULAF does not owe any additional payment. The total monthly rental price was BGN 719.87, including the price of parking spaces and maintenance of rented premises. The cost of both rooms includes the use of a conference room upon prior request, a reception room, security, cleaning and the free use of the bathrooms on the floor. The two premises are provided for the needs of BSLAF and one of the premises BSLAF has provided for the use of RC Sofia-city and RC Sofia-district. In the period between the date of conclusion of the lease contract and 17 February 2025, Ms G. Zaharieva started new negotiations with Glavbolgarstroy International AD, taking into account that BULAF was a newly formed professional organisation and the cost of renting the premises would strain the budget of the organisation. After successful negotiations, Glavbolgarstroy International AD provided BLAF with a targeted donation of BGN 10 000 excluding VAT to be used to pay the monthly rent from BLAF, for which a donation contract was signed on 25 February 2025.

At the time when we officially established the representation of the Union and in compliance with the requirement of Art. 7 of the BULSTAT Register Act on 06.03.2025, the accounting officer of BULSAT has entered in the BULSTAT Register for an official address of the Union and for the seat and address of management of BULSAT: Sofia, Post code 1618, 136A Tsar Boris III Blvd.

Dear colleagues,

I use the moment to give you guidance on the organization of renting offices on the RoC. All professional organizations should have offices at regional level. I recommend to the Presidents of the RoC who have not taken action to provide offices to start meetings with the local authorities and local businesses to provide premises in which to carry out their activities. After the organisation of the offices, the chairs of the RoC issue an order for the organisation of the working time of the respective RoC, so that members can address you on the spot, as well as make contacts there with representatives of employers or, if necessary, with the local authorities. It is necessary to organise the proper keeping and on-the-spot storage of CFW documentation. Create with an order the keeping of the registry of RC - outgoing and incoming mail, order books, protocol books for the decisions of the Management Board.

I remind you that we work with personal data and it is necessary to organize its proper storage on a regional level - limited access and security.

The management of BSLAF expresses its readiness to assist you in your contacts with the local authorities if necessary. These contacts at local level are of utmost importance to the Union as a whole and will bear fruit in the future with the support you need.

Dear colleagues,

The Professional Organizations Act and the Statutes of the Bulgarian Association of Professional Organizations put you in a very special place and in a high management position. Use the powers given to you at local level to create contacts and work to raise and differentiate the salaries of your members, and if necessary, I assure you again that the management of BULAF will assist in the contacts with the local authorities.

The above issue was discussed at the meeting with the NAMRB, at which we were confident that they would assist us with contacts in order to hold further talks with the mayors on the ground.

The elaboration of the official website of BULSAT was assigned to a company that provided us with the lowest offer, as well as it was the only one that undertook to start work on creating the site before BULSAT was entered in the BULSTAT register, respectively, before we had operational means with which to pay for the service. The expenditure was approved by the Board of BSLAF.

Currently, the site works and is at a very high technological level, its development continues. A special subpage is to be created on the site, on which to keep a register of donations to BULAF, as well as to the Regional Colleges. Thank you letters for our support will also be published on this page. CVs of all members of the management of BULAF are to be published. Consistent with the need for legal support to the RC, uniform forms will be published in stages, to be used by all RCs of BULAF.

With regard to the technical security of the operation of UASF and RC and realizing that this is a significant cost, the management of UASF collected offers for the supply of computer equipment. The decision to choose a supplier was taken by the Management Board of BULAF on the basis of the offers provided. A company was selected as the supplier of the computer equipment, which gave not only the lowest offer price, but also an additional discount for 6 monitors in the amount of BGN 720. The price of the offer also included a service for installation and configuration of the software of the equipment, the offer had the longest validity period, online support in case of problems and last but not least the longest warranty period.

BSLAF has signed a contract for full accounting and tax services with an accounting company. Most of you are aware that the accountant of BSLAF currently provides full support to RC. You are aware that BSLAF uses the services of a PR expert with over 25 years of experience in the field of public relations. His work is of the utmost importance for the Union. Since 01.03.25 we have also concluded a contract for complex legal services with a lawyer with over 25 years of legal experience, a large part of it also in support of the work of the employees' representatives and participation in the development and public discussion of numerous bills.

Next, I should point out that the construction of its own network of modern and reliable business emails was also carried out.

In parallel with the construction of the structure of the organization and its technical support, the management of UASF began work on:

1. Participation in working groups set up by the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Health on the development of an EU-funded programme for the ‘Development of outpatient health care outpatient care facilities’ providing medical care in small towns and remote areas. There was a meeting.
2. Partnership relations and a negotiated strategic agreement have been established between BULAF, BAPZG and BAPF for cooperation in the protection of common interests before state institutions, employers, educational institutions or other structures.
3. We participated in meetings with the Minister of Health at which we raised the issue of the UIN problem and our requests for changes in compliance with the norm of §22 of the Professional Organizations Act, namely: ‘regulatory acts implementing this Act shall be brought into conformity with its requirements within six months of the entry into force of this Act.’ At the meeting, once again, we insisted on the issue of the necessary integration of our register into the NZIS and the activation of the WIN through the Information Services system. On their part, we received assurance that work on integration is underway and in the shortest possible time it will be a fact, with which our WINs will be active and visible in the electronic information system. Thanks to this meeting, the necessary assistance was provided as a matter of urgency and as a result we already have active WINs.
4. Our proposed comprehensive and essential changes to all of us are in a number of laws and regulations: the Health Insurance Act, Ordinance No 1 of 8 February 2011 on the professional activities that nurses, midwives, associated medical assistants, dental technicians and health assistants may carry out by appointment or independently, Ordinance No 3 of 27 April 2000 on health offices in children’s facilities and schools, Ordinance No 2 of 21 April 2011 on health requirements for cemeteries and the burial and transfer of the deceased, Ordinance No 4 of 4 March 2009 on the conditions and procedure for prescribing and dispensing medicinal products, Ordinance No 14 of 15 April 2004 on medical criteria and the procedure for establishing death. As well as changes in the National Classification of Occupations and Positions. Immediately after the meeting, the proposals were submitted for consideration by an official letter to the Ministry of Health, from which we expect the commitments made by them to be fulfilled.
5. At the second meeting with the Minister of Health, together with our partners - BAPZG and the Bulgarian Association of Assistant Pharmacists, we raised and discussed the issues related to improving the communication of the Ministry of Health with professional organizations. At the last meeting, the Minister of Health expressed his strong support for our common demands.
6. We held a meeting with the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria (NAMRB). The meeting discussed concrete opportunities for interaction between the NAMRB, the local authorities and the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and paramedics in order to improve health and medical services and strengthen the health system at local level. A serious focus of the meeting was the discussion on the issue of improving the working conditions for LA/F and improving their pay in the field of SWD (child and school health care). There was an understanding and a desire for dialogue and joint problem-solving.
7. We had a fruitful meeting with the management of the Bulgarian Medical Association, at which they expressed goodwill for cooperation with BSLAF;
8. The management of BSLAF is present as an equal partner at each meeting of the Health Committee of the National Assembly.
9. The management of BSLAF participated in numerous working groups of the Health Committee of the National Assembly, including at the invitation of the Chairperson of the Committee and on the examination of a draft budget for the NHIF 2025. At the meeting, the Secretary General of BSLAF expressed the opinion of BSLAF regarding the general differentiation of the salaries of LA/F and the development of new job descriptions, not by professional field, but by professional qualification.
10. The management of BSLAF held numerous meetings with representatives of various political parties and associations who expressed their support for us and showed understanding of the pressing issues raised by BSLAF.
11. At the initiative of the Rector of MU-Pleven, Prof. Dr. Dobromir Dimitrov, in his capacity as President of the Association of Medical Universities in Bulgaria, on 10 March 2025, the first meeting was held at MU-Pleven between representatives of BAPZG, BAPF, BLAF and the management and faculties of public health in higher education institutions in the country, as well as the academic staff of the departments that train students in the field of health care. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to develop a unified Strategy for the Development of Occupational Health Care. Another commitment of the working group is to unite the efforts of stakeholders in the implementation of a nationwide information campaign, supported by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science, to promote the meaning, importance and authority of the professions of the Health Care strand, so as to increase the interest of young people in training in these professions.

We have shown the medical community and the general public that our community consists of valuable people and worthy people, and that is you, the leaders of our community by region. I am convinced that our already functioning professional organization will increase the motivation and quality of the medical care and health service we offer, as well as ensure the necessary representation in defense of our legitimate rights and interests, and this is actually beneficial for the whole society.

Dear colleagues,

I take this opportunity to thank all of you who have given us and continue to provide support for the cause: Prosperous profession of medical assistant and prosperous Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and paramedics.

Dear colleagues,

Recognizing the fact that it is not within the competence of the SC to examine or make financial statements of the organisation, however, in order to ensure publicity and transparency, we will do so by giving the floor to the accounting officer of BULAF, who will report the financial statements of the Union. The report will be uploaded to the website of BASF by the end of March and will be available to everyone.

            With respect,

            Alexander Alexandrov,

           The President

           the Board of BSLAF

At the initiative of the Rector of the Medical University of Pleven, Prof. Dr. Dobromir Dimitrov, in his capacity as Chairman of the Association of Medical Universities in Bulgaria, the first meeting between representatives of the Bulgarian Association of Health Care Professionals (BAHCP), the Bulgarian Association of Assistant Pharmacists (BAPF), the Bulgarian Union of Medical Assistants and Paramedics (BULAF) and of the management and faculties of public health in higher education institutions in the country, as well as the academic staff of the departments that train students in the field of Health Care, was held on 10 March 2025 at the Medical University of Pleven.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss all topical issues related to the reception, training, academic development and professional realization of students in the Health Care strand in order to unite the efforts of all stakeholders in finding workable solutions in the interests of the professions. Emphasis was also placed on the need to increase the prestige and attractiveness among young people of the professions of Medical Assistant, Nurse, Midwife, Assistant Pharmacist, etc.

The Rector of MU-Pleven Prof. Dobromir Dimitrov presented to the participants the chronology of events that led to an escalation of tension in the professional guilds of health professionals. He assured them that the duration of the training would not be reduced at this stage, as the line ministers did not support the proposal for 3+2 years of training for nurses. Prof. Dimitrov proposed to work towards updating the Unified State Requirements and updating the curricula of the health care specialties. In addition, he stressed that not enough is being done to introduce high technologies in the training of healthcare professionals, as is the case for doctors – there is no training through virtual and augmented reality and sufficient simulation training before entering clinical practice.

BSLAF, for its part, presented the opportunities provided by the profession of medical assistant. These medical professionals are second in hierarchy after doctors, they diagnose, treat common diseases and can prescribe medications. It was recalled that even now a large part of the emergency workers are medical assistants and paramedics. According to BSLAF, with the more active integration of medical assistants in the healthcare system, many of the problems with the personnel crisis in outpatient care can be solved in the short term within a few years. In this regard, attention was drawn to the urgent need to increase the number of students in this specialty, especially in Northern Bulgaria. The representatives of BSLAF suggested that the profession of medical assistant should be protected.

BFSA summarized the key factors for satisfaction of health care professionals: respect on the part of society and colleagues, opportunities for professional and academic growth, the definition of a clear program for the formation of a starting salary and a step-by-step increase in wages, the maintenance of a high quality of training, the unification of the criteria for admission of students to the specialties of the Health Care Department in the higher education institutions offering them.

Several problems related to the motivation and realization of assistant pharmacists in Bulgaria, as well as the need to synchronize Bulgarian legislation with European practices and international standards, BAPF presented in turn.

Everyone at the meeting agreed that there are two large groups of sensitive problems on which they can work together to solve them. The first group is the problems in training and the second group is the realization of the professions in practice and the retention of health professionals in Bulgaria.

It was decided to set up a working group within a month, including representatives of BAPZG, BAPF, BSLAF and the Bulgarian Medical Association, representatives of each specialty in the field of health care of higher education institutions, as well as of medical institutions in their capacity as employers. The aim is to develop a unified strategy for the development of health care professions. It is expected that in the middle of the year the working group will submit to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Science proposals for changes regarding the university training of health professionals and their implementation in the health care system. Another commitment of the working group is to unite the efforts of stakeholders in the implementation of a nationwide information campaign to promote the meaning, importance and authority of the professions of the Health Care strand, so as to increase the interest of young people in training in these areas.

On 10 December 2024, at the invitation and hosted by the student organisation BASSLA-Stara Zagora, BSLAF held a practical training in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for students specialising in Medical Assistant at the Faculty of Medicine (FM) at Trakia University (TRU) - Stara Zagora.

Over 40 students from the first to the fourth year attended the lecture, which introduced them to the CPR process. The Secretary General of BSLAF Medical Assistant Hristo Ivanov presented to his future colleagues how to recognize cardiac arrest, how to quickly assess the patient's condition, the standard algorithm for BLS (Basic Life Support) and the role of the medical assistant in it. After the theory, the training continued at the Faculty’s Academic Simulation Centre with a practical activity through simulations, interactive demonstrations and exercises of practical techniques for performing chest compressions, artificial ventilation, use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED), etc. Case studies of real-life situations and ethical aspects of emergency assistance were discussed. The course is part of the trainings that BULATSA conducts in partnership with BULATSA-Stara Zagora.