Bulgarian Government Withdraws Proposed Personal Assistant Law Changes
The Bulgarian government withdrew proposed changes to the Personal Assistance Act following mounting pressure from mothers of children with disabilities, according to mediapool.bg.
The reversal came after meetings in Sofia between Deputy Prime Minister Galab Donev and mothers working as personal assistants. The abandoned amendments would have frozen assistant remuneration, removed seniority bonuses, and shifted contracts from labor agreements to assistant care contracts to allow full-time outside work, mediapool.bg reported.
Out of more than 80,000 personal assistants nationwide, approximately 13,000 care for children with disabilities. Prime Minister Rumen Radev addressed reporters before the formal withdrawal, stating that he expected a fair solution that preserves social stability.
“I expect a fair solution that in no way prejudices the needs of mothers of children with disabilities and at the same time preserves the stability of the social sphere and policies.”
said Prime Minister Rumen Radev, according to mediapool.bg.
Earlier, parents of children with disabilities confronted lawmakers at the National Assembly in Sofia. The emergency session was organized by Democratic Bulgaria, with former ombudsman and Consumer Protection Commission Chair Maya Manolova also in attendance.
insisted mothers of children with disabilities during the parliamentary meeting, mediapool.bg reported.
MP Elisaveta Belobradova told journalists that the bill had been introduced by Progress Bulgaria deputies without public discussion at five o’clock in the afternoon. Belobradova said that the text stripped workers of labor benefits, including pension contributions, sick leave, and seniority pay.
“We cannot patch a budget by reducing the money of personal assistants to the most vulnerable people.”
Elisaveta Belobradova told mediapool.bg.
Democratic Bulgaria representatives estimated that the proposed legislative revisions would have redirected over 200 million euros away from personal assistants to balance state accounts. Parents voiced deep skepticism regarding government assurances, arguing that hourly rates would systematically erode under the new care contracts.
A mother of a seven-year-old child with autism questioned how any caregiver could sustain work for 700 euros under the proposed framework. Other participants said that private hourly rates in Sofia range between 10 and 15 euros, contrasting sharply with state compensation levels.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev also drew attention to fraudulent disability claims during his remarks, promising an uncompromising battle against false assessments issued by Territorial Expert Medical Commissions. Rumen Radev said that individuals with genuine needs will maintain state support while authorities pursue disciplinary actions against document fraud.
Maya Manolova criticized the draft legislation during the parliamentary discussions, refusing to sign a summary document drafted by MPs because she authored the original law after months of street protests. Manolova described the latest amendments as unconsidered measures that strip away acquired rights.
“I am categorical that it should not be accepted in this form, the current law was won with many protests, it will not be allowed to be changed lightly.”
said Maya Manolova, according to mediapool.bg.
Following the discussions at the finance ministry, the cabinet officially dropped the controversial text. The withdrawal preserves existing labor contracts and seniority bonuses for the 13,000 personal assistants serving children with disabilities across the country.