Young doctors, medical students and healthcare specialists are protesting in Sofia demanding concrete actions in the healthcare system. The demonstration, organized by the initiative “Future in Bulgaria“, will start at 6:00 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Health, and then the participants will march to the National Assembly.
The dissatisfaction is directed against the lack of real reforms, which according to the organizers were promised before the elections. They say they have heard assurances that medical students and young doctors are a national priority, but they expect these words to be followed by deadlines and working mechanisms.
“A national priority is not stated only with words, it is proven with actions“, the organizers say.What changes do the medics insist on seeing
Among the main demands are a working portal for specializations and electronic records for the residents. The young medics are also demanding changes in the way salaries are determined, so that the basic salary reflects the work, responsibility and qualification, and does not depend mainly on the amount of reported activity.
The protesters want more incentives for medical students and graduates to choose professional development in Bulgaria. They also demand that patients pay less, until the quality of medical care becomes a stronger factor in financing the system than the number of activities performed.
The new demonstration came after a long dispute over wages and working conditions. On October 28, 2025, parliament rejected proposals for minimum wages for young doctors and nurses. At the time, the government said it would seek a solution through budget laws, but the protest organizers continue to insist on specific guarantees.
In October 2026, the prime minister said that the commitment to better conditions for the realization of young doctors would be included in the 2027 budget. However, the doctors indicated that they expect not only political declarations, but real changes in specializations, pay and the financing model.
The organizers are calling on doctors, students, patients and citizens who support the healthcare reform to join the march. They state that they will continue to monitor the actions of the institutions and will not give up on their demands.
Sources: bnrnews.bg, medicalnews.bg, actualno.com