site.btaMPs Pass at First Reading 3 out of 4 Bills Related to Salaries of Young Doctors

MPs approved on first reading three out of four bills amending the Medical-Treatment Facilities Act on Friday, aimed at improving pay conditions for young doctors and medical specialists. The preparation of the bills comes in response to ongoing protests over low salaries and limited career opportunities.

A bill tabled by Velichie, which proposed fixed starting salaries for doctors and medical specialists, was rejected in a 44-99 vote with 53 abstentions.

The bills submitted by Vazrazhdane, Continue the Change–Democratic Bulgaria (CC–DB), and a joint proposal by GERB–UDF, BSP–United Left, and There Is Such a People (TISP) were all adopted.

The Vazrazhdane bill passed with in a 169-25 vote. CC–DB’s bill received 168 votes in favour, 25 against, and one abstention. The bill by the three ruling parties, GERB-UDF, BSP-United Left and TISP, was passed with 175 votes in favour, 12 against and five abstentions.

The bill tabled by Vazrazhdane aims to increase the basic salaries of doctors without specialization and medical specialists, and the additional remuneration for night shifts and additional qualifications. It envisages for the basic remuneration of doctors without specialization to reach 150% of the average gross salary in the country, and that of nurses, midwives, medical specialists, and assistant pharmacists will reach 140% of the average gross salary. It is also proposed that additional remuneration for acquired qualifications be set at 5% of the basic salary, and additional remuneration for night shifts at 0.5% of the basic salary for each hour worked.

The bill, tabled by Continue the Change (CC) Chair Assen Vassilev and a group of CC-DB MPs, also aims to guarantee adequate minimum levels of pay for medical staff in hospitals and cancer centers, creating a legal link between funding from the National Health Insurance Fund and compliance with minimum wage standards, and encouraging the professional development and qualification of medical specialists by linking part of their remuneration to continuing education and additional qualifications. Effective sanctions will be introduced for non-compliance with the statutory minimum pay standards, including the possibility of terminating contracts with the National Health Insurance Fund and imposing financial penalties on the management of healthcare facilities, according to the report of the Health Committee.

The bill tabled by the ruling majority provides for the establishment of minimum requirements for the remuneration of staff in healthcare facilities financed by the National Health Insurance Fund budget and/or the state budget. The basic monthly remuneration by staff category, in accordance with the National Classification of Occupations and Positions, should be no less than that provided for in the effective collective bargaining agreement, and if no such agreement has been concluded, it shall be no less than that provided for in the last collective bargaining agreement concluded, adjusted by the percentage of increase in the average gross wage for the country.

Additional remuneration shall be introduced for acquired additional professional qualifications, which shall be not less than three percent of the basic monthly remuneration, and the additional remuneration for night shifts shall be no less than 0.5% of the minimum wage for the relevant year, determined by an act of the Council of Ministers, for each night hour worked or part thereof.

The Executive Agency Medical Supervision is expected to monitor compliance with the minimum requirements for the remuneration of staff in healthcare facilities.