Minister Natalia Efremova lauds new social care center in Simitli, Bulgaria

The Simitli municipality in Bulgaria opened a newly built residential care centre for adults with physical disabilities and dementia in the village of Polena. The inauguration marked the 15th anniversary of the original family‑type accommodation centre in the area and was financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Natalia Efremova visited the site, praising the partnership between state and local authorities. She said, "Here there is a specificity I see for the first time. I did not believe such a thing could exist in Bulgaria… The people care wonderfully and can even exchange practice and experience."

Efremova highlighted Simitli as the most socially oriented municipality in the Blagoevgrad region and commended mayor Apollon Apollov and MP Stefan Apostol for their work in expanding social services for the elderly, disabled and people with dementia.