site.btaSocial Minister Gutsanov Announces Plans to Build New Accommodation Facilities for Elderly People in Five Municipalities

New senior care facilities are to be built in five municipalities, Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov said Thursday. They will be located in the towns of Nikolaevo and Brezovo in southern Bulgaria, and Ruzhintsi, Samuil and Dalgopol in the north of the country.

The Minister said that this initiative follows the uncovering of several illegal nursing homes in the country. 18 licences have been suspended, 84 licences revoked and 15 illegal homes have been closed, according to Gutsanov.

BGN 260,000 has been allocated for the construction of the new facilities and they will have a capacity to home 100 people.

Gutsanov explained that there are currently 81 state-run senior living facilities which are being renovated with a total capacity of 5,593, with another 61 homes for people with specific needs, which have a capacity of 4,395. To meet capacity requirements, a letter to all municipalities was sent and 238 proposals for buildings that could be converted into senior facilities for the elderly were received from 118 mayors.