Sofia's Emergency Care Protesting Again, Despite Pay Raise Talks

Bulgarian Sofia Emergency Care staff are protesting against the low salaries and the long-lasting structural problems in their unit again, Monday morning.

Despite the Health Ministry's promise to provide additional emergency care teams and to discuss an eventual pay raise, employees have been protesting all week.

The medics were determined not to let their newly appointed head Alexander Zlatanov assume his position, replacing Georgi Gelev, who was removed by the Health Minister.

According to the medics, Gelev is simply the scapegoat for the pressing structural issues and the lack of funding for the emergency care. He was replaced following the death of a 40-year old photographer who had waited over 40 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.

Meanwhile, the new director took over Sofia's Emergency Center and has pledged to significantly improve the patient care at once, NovaTv informs.