Dr. Daniel Kiprov, a general practitioner from the initiative committee "Future for Bulgaria", expressed serious doubts that the funds allocated for young doctors will actually reach them. He commented that there are no clear criteria for the distribution of the money and hospital directors have too much freedom to dispose of them. He stated this in the program "Social Network" on NOVA NEWS.
"It matters where this money comes from, because we have doubts that it will actually reach the doctors. As it is, we are talking about funds for which there are no criteria for where they will go and in what way," said Dr. Kiprov. He added that from the very beginning they proposed limiting the powers of the directors.
The doctor pointed to the enormous injustice in pay in the health system as a major problem that is not being addressed.
"It is assumed that there is no money in the system, although there are directors who take 60,000 - 70,000 leva per month, but give midwives, nurses and doctors 1,000 - 2,000 leva," he explained. According to him, the new mechanism does not guarantee that the money will reach the ordinary employee, instead of going back to the management.
Dr. Kiprov specified that from "Future for Bulgaria" insist that the remuneration be tied as a percentage of the average wage, and not fixed amounts.
He warns that their demands for the payment of night work have not been reflected at all. At the moment it remains 1.60 leva per hour.
Among other unresolved problems, Dr. Kiprov highlighted the lack of incentives for additional qualifications, as well as the vicious practices in filling specialization positions. In his words, they are largely given "on the basis of "shurobajanashtina" or after "bribes"".
The doctor said that the current government decision is hasty and aims to "quench discontent", and not to permanently solve the problems. He said that his colleagues had been threatened to stop them from joining the protest, and warned that the demonstrations would continue if only non-working solutions were offered.