site.btaMP Nadejda Iordanova Talks Healthcare, Euro Changeover, Selective Funding Based on Political Allegiance

Nadejda Iordanova MP of Democratic Bulgaria Friday talked about the funding of medical specialist trainees, the introduction of the euro, and politically motivated allocation of state funding. She gave a news conference at the BTA National Press Club in Kardzhali. 

Iordanova said there is enough money to support young doctors, especially if the spending leaks in the National Health Insurance Fund are plugged. She said that just by preventing overspending on medicine tenders in private hospitals, more than BGN 100 million could be saved.

She identified two main problems: first, it is very hard for young doctors to get into a specialization programme, and second, specialist trainees are paid very little during training. She said Democratic Bulgaria would push for better pay and proper recognition of the work young doctors do.

Iordanova said the purpose of her visit to Kardzhali Region was to meet with people in Krumovgrad Municipality and explain the impact of the introduction of the euro expected on January 1, 2026. She criticized the idea of creating a state-owned chain of grocery stores, calling it a populist left-wing measure pushed through under pressure from MRF-New Beginning. According to her, there has not been a successful state-run store offering enough quality goods. In her view, this is a measure the government still does not know how to implement. "BGN 10 million have been set aside in the budget for what is the most expensive PR campaign ever run by a political party," Iordanova added. She stressed that low prices and good quality come from competition and the elimination of cartels - something made harder by the fact that the Commission for Protection of Competition is not functioning properly and has allowed such practices to continue.

Addressing regional issues, the MP commented that some mayors have switched allegiance to MRF-New Beginning only to get public funding for projects. "The government is not treating all municipalities equally and fairly. If one joins MRF-New Beginning, their projects start getting funded. Otherwise they are put on hold," Iordanova said. That is why Democratic Bulgaria proposed a rule where the first payment request should be processed first, and money should be distributed in the order applications are received. However, this idea was not supported.