Budget Failure for the National Children's Hospital: GERB Accuses 'Progressive Bulgaria' of Rejecting the Project

The project for the construction of the National Children's Hospital remains without funding in the 2026 budget and in the three-year budget forecast. GERB's proposal to secure funds for the implementation of the medical facility was rejected by the National Assembly.

During the vote, the proposal received only 86 votes 'in favor', with 121 abstentions and no votes 'against'. This decision triggered a sharp political reaction. GERB emphasizes that despite Prime Minister Rumen Radev's public statements that the hospital is a 'national priority', for the first time since 2022, there are no funds allocated for this project in the state budget.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Healthcare, Kostadin Angelov, warned of the critical consequences of the delay. According to him, political instability, administrative problems, and the current suspension of the public procurement by the CPC (Commission for Protection of Competition) are significantly shifting the deadlines. 'If the current pace of work is maintained, the National Children's Hospital will not be completed before 2035,' Angelov stated.

The civic initiative 'FOR a Real Children's Hospital' noted that the voting result shows a lack of support from the governing majority for guarantees regarding the project's implementation. 'We Continue the Change' also expressed dissatisfaction, pointing out that 'Progressive Bulgaria' did not support the funding.

Meanwhile, political leader Petar Denkov commented that the project has literally 'disappeared' from the budget documents, which further intensifies the tension surrounding the implementation of this project, which is key to the country's healthcare.