Sofia to Build 20-Plus Nurseries to Address Daycare Shortage

Nikolay Zabov, Siana Dimitrova

Renovated nursery in Lozanets, Sofia, August 12, 2026 (BTA Photo/Milena Stoykova)

Sofia,

12.08.2026 12:47

(BTA)

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LOCAL FOCUS

Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev told a press briefing on Wednesday that more than 20 nurseries are being built in the capital, with 1,500 new places expected to open in the coming months and years. Terziev was attending the opening of a renovated nursery in Lozenets borough.

The Mayor reported that there are several thousand children on the waiting list, with the number varying depending on the ranking. He added: "The biggest problem is in the nursery groups [for children under 3]. There, it is not just a question of the availability of physical infrastructure, but of a shortage of nurses. We are having to convert the nursery groups into kindergarten groups, which is making the situation even more difficult." Terziev said that he and his team are striving to amend the regulations so that teaching staff with additional medical qualifications can also provide the same level of childcare.

The Mayor said: "Our goal is to continue our efforts to secure places for the children. That is why we have named this project The Road to Zero, meaning that there are no children for whom there are no places and for whom we cannot provide the necessary care. The priority is the process of designing new nurseries, acquiring land, commencing construction work and working with investors." He was optimistic that the problem of insufficient places for children in daycare centres will disappear from Sofia's list of problems within the next two years.

Terziev reported that all projects on the Recovery and Resilience Plan list have been successfully completed on time, making Sofia Municipality one of the top performers at national level.

/RD/