Bulgaria's 2026 Health Insurance Budget Meets Employer Pushback

The draft 2026 budget for Bulgaria’s National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) proposes revenues of €5.256 billion, an 8.5% rise over the previous year. NHIF manager Petko Stefanovski called the plan “extremely conservative” and the only viable option under current conditions. Health Minister Katya Ivkova said the budget provides a stable financial framework for the health system.

Employers, represented by the Association of Industrial Capital (AICB) and the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, refused to back the proposal, arguing there are no guarantees that the additional €400 million will improve health outcomes. They highlighted that over 70% of the budget remains earmarked for hospital care and that the share for outpatient services stays low.

The Confederation of Employers and Industrialists (KRIБ) offered conditional support, outlining six reform demands: no salary hikes for high‑earning public employees, annual reduction of at least three administrative permits per ministry, privatization of two major state assets, removal of all automatic cost‑increase mechanisms in 2026, prior consultation with employers and unions on non‑electoral measures, and a plan to cut public administration staff to two‑thirds of the OECD average by 2028. Trade unions countered with protests, warning that the reforms could lead to wage cuts, mass layoffs and weakened worker protections.