The basic salary of dentists and master pharmacists without a specialty could reach around 2200 euros if the parliament accepts the proposal to tie it to 150% of the average gross salary. The bill on amendments to the Law on Medical Institutions has been included for the first vote in the plenary program of the National Assembly.
The proposal concerns specialists who work in medical institutions with contracts with the National Health Insurance Fund or receive funds from the state budget. The thresholds are intended as minimum basic salaries, and not as a guaranteed amount of the final amount that each employee will receive after taxes, supplements and additional payments.
The calculation leads to 2166 euros
The National Statistical Institute reports an average gross monthly salary of 1444 euros in the second quarter of 2026. When applying the set 150%, the result is 2166 euros, which explains the indicated guideline of around 2200 euros.
The discussed texts also provide for a threshold of 140% for nurses, midwives and other categories of medical specialists. With the same average salary, this would mean around 2022 euros in basic monthly salary. The specific value may change when using a different statistical base, if the law binds the calculation to a certain period of NSI data.
The proposal meets resistance
The bill was submitted by Ivaylo Shotev and a group of MPs from “We continue the change“. The Parliamentary Committee on Health did not support it on the first vote in July, but this did not stop its consideration in the plenary hall. The final decision will depend on the vote of the MPs and possible changes between the two readings.
The Chairman of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union Dimitar Marinov warned that under the previous model there are not enough guarantees that the funds for the minimum salaries of pharmacists will be spent specifically on the remuneration of hospital staff. “There are no specific sanctions for hospitals that do not meet the requirements for paying the specified salaries“, said Marinov.
There is funding provided, but the mechanism remains controversial
The NHIF budget for 2026 provides for a transfer of 260 million euros from the central budget to increase the remuneration of staff in medical institutions. However, the question of how the funds will reach specific employees remains part of the dispute between deputies, employer organizations and professional structures.
Therefore, at present, about 2,200 euros is an estimate under a bill, and not a minimum wage that has entered into force. To become mandatory, the measure must be approved by the National Assembly on first and second reading and be promulgated.
Sources: bnrnews.bg, nsi.bg, bta.bg