“Our most important priority is to return the state close to the people.“. This was stated by Dr. Lidiya Chorbanova, a candidate for MP from the list of “BSP - UNITED LEFT“ in Plovdiv region, in the program “Darik's Day“.
According to her, in recent decades the state has gradually been pushed out of key public systems such as healthcare, education and social policy, which has led to deepening inequalities. “The gap between people in large and small settlements is becoming deeper. Our task is to overcome it and restore the feeling of justice.“, stressed Chorbanova.
For his part, Dr. Desislav Taskov, leader of BSP-OL in Varna, emphasized the need for “normalization of life“ and achieving a European quality of life. “People should feel the state next to them – through real access to healthcare, education and social support, and not live in a parallel reality.“, he said.
In Chorbanova's words, healthcare is “the biggest hostage of the transition“. She noted that not a single new state or municipal hospital has been built in Bulgaria in recent decades, and the lack of a national children's hospital remains a serious systemic problem. “Health cannot be a trade. Medical institutions should not function as commercial companies – the role of the state is to protect health, not to “put out fires“, she was categorical.
The BSP-OL candidates also emphasized the high share of co-payments by patients. “Bulgarian citizens pay almost half of the costs of their treatment out of pocket – this is a clear sign of the absence of the state in the healthcare system in Bulgaria.“, Chorbanova pointed out. According to her, the lack of funding for prevention and mass screening further deepens the problems, depriving society of the opportunity for early diagnosis.
Taskov emphasized that one of the first priorities should be the stabilization of regional and municipal healthcare: “Without doctors and nurses, even the most modern equipment is useless. The state must enter into its structurally determining role and guarantee the functioning of these medical institutions.“.
The two candidates also drew attention to the so-called “health deserts“ in the country – regions without access to basic medical care. “There are entire settlements without personal doctors, where one specialist serves ten or more villages. This is unacceptable for a European country.“, stressed Chorbanova.
Dr. Taskov stated the left's categorical commitment to increasing the starting salaries of doctors and nurses in state hospitals, as well as a unified platform and clear rules for conducting specialization competitions.
In conclusion, Chorbanova emphasized that “the highest duty of the state is to take care of the life and health of its people“ and stated that the coalition's commitment will not end with the campaign, but will continue with real actions for the benefit of the people.
For his part, Desislav Taskov emphasized that BSP-OL offers integrity, professionalism and humanity, as a guarantee for consistent policy and real results. “None of us is dependent and we will stand up for what we believe in. Support us with number 5.“, he stated.