13.07.2022

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE HARDEST HIT BY JOB LOSSES DUE TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID

The European Commission has published its Employment and Social Development in Europe (ESD) Review 2022. Among other findings, the report shows that young people are among the hardest hit by job losses during the economic crisis caused by the COVID pandemic -19. It also shows that their recovery is slower than other age groups. Possible explanations are related to the high share of fixed-term contracts and difficulties in finding a first job after leaving school, university or training. The new report helps define and justify the employment and social policies needed to address the challenges young people face in becoming economically independent in the context of a deteriorating socio-economic situation due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicola Schmidt said: Many young people have higher education, digital skills and an active interest in environmental issues. This can help them take advantage of the opportunities of recovery and the digital and environmental transition. 2022 is the European Year of Youth because the European Union is committed to listening to young people, supporting them and improving their chances in life. This also means supporting young Ukrainians who have fled the war by helping them enter the EU education system and labor market.

Based on the latest annual data, the review of the PES found that:

The recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic was not evenly distributed. Young people (under the age of 30) still face significant challenges in finding work or finding work that matches their skills and experience. Although youth unemployment declined in 2021, especially towards the end of the year, it remained 1 percentage point higher than before the crisis (in 2019). Of those in work, nearly 1 in two young people (45.9%) had temporary contracts, compared to 1 in 10 for all those in work (10.2%). In general, young people are more likely to face a difficult social and financial situation. Even before the pandemic, the labor income of young people was more volatile than that of older workers. Households headed by young people face greater poverty, although there are significant differences between EU countries. Young people find it difficult to meet their daily expenses, such as paying bills and rent, and 61% of them worry about finding or maintaining suitable housing in the next ten years. The challenges young people face depend on their level of education and socio-economic background. Young people with a secondary education are 19 percentage points less likely to be in a situation where they are not working, studying or training than those with a lower level of education. For persons with higher education, this risk is 28 percentage points lower. Disadvantaged young people are even less likely to be in employment, education or training. Gender is another factor that leads to inequality among young people. When starting their careers, young women in the EU earn on average 7.2% less than their male counterparts - a gap that widens with age. At EU level, only a small part of this difference - 0.5 percentage points - is the result of women's educational attainment, choice of profession, professional experience and the type of employment contract they have.

Successful policies at EU level to support young people

The ESD review provides an evidence-based analysis of ways to address the challenges young people face. In particular, employment and social policies shall:

to improve the integration of young people in the labor market, to enable young people to acquire skills, to support labor mobility - a building block for a successful and sustainable career, to reduce risks for young people, such as unemployment or illness, poverty and indebtedness, to help young people build material security and acquire property.

Additional EU initiatives to support young people are being prepared. In 2023, the Commission plans to review the Council Recommendation on the Quality Framework for Traineeships, in particular with regard to working conditions. A high-level group is currently looking at ways to improve social protection, including for young people, and will present its findings early next year.

Context

The Annual Review of Employment and Social Development in Europe (ESD) is the European Commission's leading analytical report on employment and social issues. It provides up-to-date economic analysis as well as related policy proposals.

The EU supports young people through a range of policy programmes, including:

The Youth Guarantee scheme, including the Youth Employment Initiative, has had a transformative impact on EU labor markets. The figures show that since 2014, over 36 million young people who were once registered with Youth Guarantee schemes have subsequently been offered work, further education, apprenticeships and/or traineeships. The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the EU's main instrument for investing in people, including supporting youth employment. The new initiative ALMA (from English Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve) is aimed at disadvantaged young people who are not participating in any form of employment, education or training. The €100 billion European Instrument for Temporary Support to Mitigate Unemployment Risks in Emergency Situations (SURE) was launched in April 2020 to address the impact of the pandemic on EU labor markets, including for young people. In 2020, it helped around 31 million people and 2.5 million businesses. In 2021, it supported approximately 3 million people and 400,000 businesses. EU Member States' Recovery and Resilience Plans focus on policies for the next generation as one of their six pillars, in line with the strengthened Youth Guarantee.

08.07.2022

AGENCY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FINANCES PROJECTS FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WITH UP TO BGN 10,000

Employers can receive up to BGN 10,000 for financing projects to ensure access to existing or new jobs for people with permanent disabilities of working age. The same amount will be allocated for proposals to adapt existing workplaces and to equip new workplaces for people with reduced working capacity.

The funds are provided by the Agency for People with Disabilities (APD) under the National Program for Employment of People with Disabilities. It also provides funds for qualification and retraining of employed people with disabilities. Employers can receive up to BGN 1,000 for vocational training of one employee with reduced working capacity.

Project proposals can be submitted until August 17, 2022 at APD, through a licensed postal operator or electronically at ahu_zaetost@mlsp.government.bg. You can see more details on the website of the Agency for People with Disabilities https://ahu.mlsp.government.bg/portal/page/83.

08.07.2022

THE POVERTY LINE RISES BY BGN 91

The poverty line for 2023 should be BGN 504, suggests the retired Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Georgi Gyokov. The increase is BGN 91, as this year the poverty threshold is set at BGN 413. Compared to 2021, the poverty line was raised by BGN 44.

As the poverty line increases, social assistance under the Social Assistance Act and financial support under the Disability Act will also increase, which will have a favorable impact on the vulnerable and lowest-income groups of the population, the reasons for the project say.

In the Medium-Term Budget Forecast for the period 2023-2025, GDP growth of 2.8%, unemployment rate of 4.8% and employment growth from the national accounts of 0.8% are predicted for 2023.

The latest data from NSI for the first quarter of 2022 report GDP growth of 4.5% on an annual basis. For the first quarter, according to labor force surveillance data, the unemployment rate was 4.9%, and employment, according to national accounts data, increased by 1.6% year-on-year.

The use of the poverty line determined in the EU-SILC survey for 2021 and published in 2022 reflects the socio-economic environment in the country, the labor market and the possibilities of the budget. The changes of a socio-economic nature and the contraction of the global economy in 2020-2021 and the first half of 2022 are primarily related to the consequences of СОVID-19, the dynamic macroeconomic environment and the overall impact of the international environment.

The lack of predictability regarding changes in consumption and employment, related to the still available risks of a health nature, the international situation and inflationary processes, require the use of an objective approach in determining the size of the poverty line for 2023 according to the European research methodology "Statistics of income and living conditions (EU-SILC)", which will simultaneously guarantee the adequacy of the statistical information used and ensure policies related to poverty reduction, writes in the reasons for the project.

The proposed value of BGN 504 compensates for the lag behind the national poverty line compared to the "Statistics of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC)" survey, increasing by 22% (BGN 91) compared to the amount of the previous year, as for the last 10 years .marks the greatest growth and expands the scope of social assistance.

07.07.2022

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ADOPTED A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH BULGARIA WORTH 11 BILLION EUROS

The European Commission adopted a partnership agreement with Bulgaria worth EUR 11 billion - it defines the country's investment strategy in the field of cohesion policy for the period 2021-2027. Funds under the cohesion policy will promote the economic, social and territorial convergence in the Bulgarian regions and will help to fulfill the EU's main priorities, such as the ecological and digital transition. These funds will also support policy areas in which Bulgaria has the potential to make progress and reduce regional differences within the country.

The partnership agreement covers the European Regional Development Fund - ERDF, the European Social Fund Plus - ESF+, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund, and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.

The ecological transition and reduction of energy dependence

2.4 billion euros from the ERDF and the Cohesion Fund will help Bulgaria achieve its climate goals.

Specifically, €600 million will help increase the share of renewable energy sources to 27% of total energy consumption, as well as reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in public buildings. ERDF funding will also be used to recycle 70% of all packaging waste.

In addition, investments will also be aimed at reducing by more than a third (at least 35%) the proportion of the population living at risk of natural disasters such as floods or forest fires.

The FSP will provide €1.3 billion to ensure a socially and economically sustainable transition. The fund will improve the capacity of the affected territories to better use energy from renewable sources.

Catching up with the EU and supporting the most vulnerable regions

The funds will also help Bulgaria improve its basic infrastructure, especially in regions where infrastructure investment is insufficient or absent. Almost half of the total cohesion policy funding (€4.2 billion) will be invested in the north-west, north-central and north-east regions, including in the form of co-financing for the construction of the Shipka tunnel - the first tunnel that will pass through Stara Planina.

EU support for the favorable business environment is also expected to increase the share of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises from 27.2% in 2016 to 32% in 2026 - they will create jobs and contribute to the development of the Bulgarian economy.

Jobs of the future: a more inclusive and digital labor market

Bulgaria will invest EUR 2.6 billion from the ESF+ with the aim of improving access to employment, increasing skills so that people can successfully navigate the dual ecological and digital transition, as well as guaranteeing equal access to quality and inclusive education and training. This includes EUR 315 million to support youth employment and EUR 630 million for social inclusion measures, of which EUR 136 million is earmarked for combating child poverty. 221 million euros will be directed to the socio-economic integration of marginalized communities, for example the Roma.

Thanks to EU funding, early school leaving is expected to fall from 12.8% to 7% by 2030. Adult participation in learning activities is expected to rise from 24.6% to 35.4%, while employment is expected to to increase from 73% to 79%. The population at risk of poverty and social exclusion is expected to decrease by 0.8 million people (from 2.3 to 1.5 million people).

Finally, Bulgaria aims to exceed the target set at the Porto Summit in terms of employment rates, and the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in the country should decrease by almost 800,000.

Sustainable fisheries and sustainable aquaculture

EFMDRA will invest around 84.9 million euros in more sustainable fisheries and restoration and protection of aquatic biological resources in the Black Sea. Support will also be provided for the development of a sustainable aquaculture and processing sector, including local fisheries and aquaculture communities, and the implementation of international ocean governance. All actions receiving support will contribute to the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy as well as to the key EU policy priorities outlined in the European Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy.

Statements by members of the collegium:

Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Eliza Ferreira, said: The Partnership Agreement marks a decisive step for Bulgaria. Cohesion policy funding in the period 2021-2027 will be essential to reduce regional disparities in the country and promote growth convergence with the rest of the EU. We are now looking forward to the conclusion of the negotiations on the ten national programs so that investments in key areas such as a clean environment, better education, support for businesses and transport infrastructure can start as soon as possible under cohesion policy.

Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights Nicola Schmitt said: The objectives of the Partnership Agreement with Bulgaria show a firm commitment to achieving the Porto social goals of employment, lifelong learning and poverty reduction. By investing ESF+ funds in people, Bulgaria will increase social inclusion and improve access to the labor market, especially for people who are vulnerable or disadvantaged.

Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius said: The European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund plays a crucial role in supporting coastal communities, easing the impact of the crisis on the fisheries sector and decarbonising our economy. It supports innovative projects that contribute to the sustainable use and management of water and marine resources. This partnership agreement underpins Bulgaria's commitment to advance the environmental and digital transition by building low-carbon, sustainable and innovative fisheries and aquaculture sectors and supporting the development of the blue economy in coastal communities. It will also support the resilience of sectors challenged by extraordinary events causing significant market disruptions.

Context

The partnership agreement with Bulgaria covers 10 national programs. It also covers the eligibility and implementation of the FSP in three Bulgarian regions, which are most affected by the climate transition.

Within the framework of the cohesion policy and in cooperation with the Commission, each member state prepares a partnership agreement - a strategic document for programming the investments from the cohesion policy funds (the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund and the Just Transition Fund) and from the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund during the Multiannual Financial Framework. It focuses on EU priorities, setting out the strategy and investment priorities chosen by the Member State and presenting a list of national and regional implementation programs by location, including a preliminary annual allocation of funds for each programme.

The partnership agreement with Bulgaria is the twelfth agreement for the 2021-2027 funding period, following those already adopted for Greece, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and Poland.

According to the General Provisions Regulation for the period 2021-2027, Member States must fulfill the so-called horizontal and thematic enabling conditions in the implementation of cohesion policy programmes. One of the enabling conditions requires compliance with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. When drawing up their programmes, Member States must assess whether the enabling conditions are met. If the Commission does not agree with this assessment, it cannot reimburse the costs associated with the parts of the program concerned until the conditions are met. Member States must ensure that they continue to meet these conditions throughout the program period.

07.07.2022

THE ROMANIAN CENTRAL BANK RAISED ITS KEY INTEREST RATE BY 100 BASIS POINTS

The Central Bank of Romania raised its main interest rate by as much as 100 basis points to 4.75%, while the expectations of the financial markets were for a tightening of the interest rate by 75 basis points, BNR reported.

The new Romanian interest rate of 4.75% is the highest since July 2013.

This rate hike is the sixth since the central bank began the process of normalizing its monetary and interest rate policies last October and the biggest single rate hike since the global financial crisis in 2008, as the central bank tried to catch up with Eastern European its partners, which are fighting rising inflation through a series of rate hikes.

In Romania, inflation jumped in May to an almost 19-year high of 14.49%.

The central bank expects inflation to rise more than expected in the short term and remain in double digits at least until the second quarter of next year.

07.07.2022

JOB POSTINGS DROP AT THE END OF JUNE

For the first time this year, at the end of June, there was an 8 percent drop in job advertisements on the leading websites in the country. This is shown by the monthly analysis of the HR company and career site "JobTiger".

Since the beginning of the year, the number of advertisements has been constantly increasing, but in the past month we reported nearly 5,000 offers less than in May, the company announced.

However, according to experts, this is not a cause for concern, because we are in the holiday summer months, when the supply and demand for work are traditionally in smaller volumes.

The number of active offers at the end of June is just over 52,000 and is 4 percent more than the same period in 2021.

A decline in listings is observed in almost all sectors. The exceptions are "Healthcare and Pharmacy" and "Construction", in which advertisements have increased by 16 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

A major reason for the higher number of advertisements in the health sector is the availability of medical staff offers for positions abroad.

After the constant growth of offers over the past 4 months in the "Hospitality and restaurant" sector, in June they start to decrease. This is the sector with the largest drop in advertisements of as much as 22 percent, followed by the "Trade and Sales" sector with a drop of 11 percent, the company also reports.

There is a smaller number of advertisements in the sectors "Marketing and advertising" (-9 percent), "Accounting, audit, finance" (-8.7 percent), IT (-6 percent), "Administrative and service activities " (3.2 percent), "Logistics and transport" (-3 percent) and "Production" (-0.5 percent).

Share distribution

In terms of share distribution of advertisements, the "Trade and Sales" sector is in first place with a 21 percent share, followed by the "Hospitality and Restaurant" sectors (17 percent), "Manufacturing" (15 percent), IT (13 percent).

They are followed by the sectors "Administrative and service activities" (10 percent), "Logistics and transport" (9 percent), "Construction" (5 percent), "Accounting, audit, finance" (4.4 percent ), "Healthcare and Pharmacy" (3.9 percent), "Marketing and Advertising" (3 percent) and "Art" (1 percent).

Work from home

According to the analysis, the number of offers for work from home and/or remote work at the end of June decreased by 8 percent compared to May. They are just over 5,500 for the country or 12.4 percent of the total number of advertisements.

Half of these offers (50 percent) are in the "IT" sector, followed by "Administrative and service activities" (15 percent), the outsourcing (BPO) industry sectors (14 percent) and "Trade and sales" (4 per hundred).

Offer by cities

The number of advertisements in the leading regional cities also decreased by 8 percent in the month of June. There is a decrease in advertisements in every regional city: Sofia (-6 percent), Plovdiv (-9 percent), Varna (-9 percent), Burgas (-15 percent), Ruse (-6 percent) and Stara Zagora (-11 percent).

As a share distribution, the proposals in the leading regional cities occupy 72 percent of all advertisements. The distribution in each of these cities is as follows: Sofia (44 percent), Plovdiv (10 percent), Varna (9 percent), Burgas (4 percent), Ruse (3 percent) and Stara Zagora (2 percent).

Ads suitable for refugees

The number of refugee-friendly job adverts in June was just over 2,900 (7 per cent of all adverts), down 8 per cent on the previous month. One third of these offers are in the "Hospitality and Restaurant" sector (30 percent), with the majority also in the "Trade and Sales" (18 percent), "Manufacturing" (15 percent) and "IT" sectors (13 percent).

07.07.2022

THE MEASURES UNDER THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (2021-2027) FOR THE DESEGREGATION OF MARGINALIZED GROUPS WERE PRESENTED

Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Ivan Krastev presented the measures under the Human Resources Development Program (2021-2027) for the desegregation of marginalized groups. He participated in a National Conference on the topic "State of Roma educational integration: from segregation to education in an ethnically mixed environment", organized by the Center for Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Tolerance "Amalipe". "In order to stop educational segregation and all the lasting negative consequences it creates, we must work not only with the children, but also with their parents, not only with the minority, but also with the majority," commented Krastev. According to him, we should all look for common solutions together, because segregation is not only a problem for the Roma, but for society as a whole.

"The new Human Resources Development Program will have an impressive resource with which we will support the labor market, and a large part of the social inclusion measures will be integrated health and social services, with which we aim to cover people from vulnerable groups in the small settlements", said Krastev. It is expected that over 95,000 people of Roma origin will receive support in all PRHR measures at the national level. In the next program period, the "Integrated Territorial Investments" approach will be implemented, according to which targeted funds will be allocated for each area for measures related to employment, equal opportunities and integration according to the needs of the area. For the period 2021-2027, 94.2 million euros will be allocated from the PRDP, from which all regional and municipal administrations will be able to benefit, the deputy minister specified. At least 50,000 people from the Roma community are expected to be covered by these measures.

Deputy Minister Krastev also presented the possibilities under the European Child Guarantee, which in Bulgaria will be implemented by the "Human Resources Development" Program and the "Education" Program. "In the next program period, integrated actions will be taken to guarantee children's rights - access to quality healthcare, education, proper nutrition, housing, social and other services depending on the needs of the child and the family," said Krastev. The PRDP measures that will receive support are aimed at social inclusion, tackling child poverty and access to health services for children. The measures under the Education Program are related to access to preschool and school education and support for healthy lifestyle programs.

One of the measures approved at the last meeting of the Oversight Committee of the OPRCHR is Operation "Future for Children" with a budget of BGN 81.2 million. The main activities that will be financed are services for early childhood development, integrated health and social services, prevention for better health care of children, their parents and extended family, patronage care for children from 0 to 3 years, which also includes care for pregnant women and women in labor. Under the "Future for Children" measure, all accompanying activities aimed at the realization of parents in the labor market will be supported, such as ensuring access to the labor market, counseling and employment mediation, subsidizing jobs for inactive and unemployed persons. The operation is expected to reach over 40,000 children up to the age of 18, with 5,000 of them expected to be from highly marginalized communities. "If the success we are reporting so far with the pilot project in the districts of Stara Zagora, Sliven and Burgas is multiplied, the funds can easily be increased significantly," stressed the Deputy Minister.

07.07.2022

IN WHICH PROFESSIONS ARE THE MOST PEOPLE EMPLOYED

The occupation that reported the largest increase in the number of employees in the first quarter of this year compared to the same in 2021 was food preparation assistants. The increase is 25.1% or from almost 1.1 to almost 1.4 million people in the EU working in this profession. This is shown by Eurostat data on the top 10 growing professions.

The second largest increase, at 15.6%, was in the personal service workers group, which refers to attendants, conductors, guides, cooks, waiters and bartenders, hairdressers, beauticians, and construction and housekeeping supervisors. In the first quarter of 2022, this occupational group had 7.6 million workers.

Information and communication technology professionals came in third with a 9.6% year-over-year increase. Between those two quarters, that group (which refers to software and application developers and database and network analysts and professionals) grew from 4.1 to 4.5 million people.

There are two occupational groups with a 9% increase in the number of workers: legal, social, cultural and related associated professionals (+9.4%), and managers in tourism, retail and other services (+9.1%) ). In the first quarter of 2022, these groups numbered 3.5 and 2.4 million workers, respectively.

Next in the list of leading occupations with the sharpest percentage increase in the number of employed persons are business and administration professionals (+7.4%), craftsmen and printers (+6.7%), information and communication technicians (+5, 9%), science and engineering professionals (+5.7%) and production and specialized services managers (+5.3%).

In contrast, workers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries recorded the most significant decrease in the EU – by -12.6%.

07.07.2022

THE SOCIAL PROTECTION FUND FINANCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BULGARIAN SPEECH SYNTHESIZER FOR PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

The "Social Protection" Fund of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy supported with BGN 364,800 a project for "Development of a Bulgarian speech synthesizer for the needs of people with visual impairments" of the Association "Union of the Blind in Bulgaria". Its total budget is BGN 384,000, and the Association's own contribution is BGN 19,200. It is expected that the synthesizer will help more than 4,000 people with visual impairments throughout Bulgaria. It was implemented with the help of the Institute of Information and Communication Technologies at the BAS.

The speech synthesizer speaks text fed to it with a computer-generated voice. Its use creates opportunities to increase the education and knowledge of people with visual impairments and promotes their social inclusion and employment. The last Bulgarian-speaking synthesizer was created in 2004 and no longer meets the level of technology development in this field.

"The implementation of the project is a successful example of a partnership between a state institution, a nationally representative organization and the scientific community. It incorporates the latest achievements of science in the field," said Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Lazar Lazarov at the presentation of the synthesizer. He emphasized the National Plan for Recovery and Sustainability, pointing out that BGN 24 million has been set aside in it to support more than 3,300 people with permanent disabilities through the use of technologies to improve their lives.

"The Social Protection Fund proves once again that it aims to promote innovative projects that support a wide range of people," said the executive director of the fund, Marina Saradinova.

30.06.2022

HOW TO GET AID FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FROM JULY 1?

From July 1, 2022, the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) will negotiate, grant, pay and control aids, devices, equipment, medical devices (ADEMD) and repair activities, as the next step for the smooth passage of the process by the Agency for Social assistance (ASA) to the fund. Therefore, the NHIF issued explanations about the changes and useful information for consumers:

What are the advantages:

    Save time:

    You visit Medical Advisory Commission MAC/Territorial Expert Medical Commission TEMC/National Expert Medical Commission NEMC, where you will be issued an electronic protocol/decision for an aid, device, facility or medical device. On the spot you will have the opportunity to submit an application to the Regional health insurance fund (RHIF) and the NHIF, which will be sent electronically by MAC/TEMC/NEMC to the institution;

You receive a notification from the RHIF/NHIF for an approved approval for the provision of ADEMD by e-mail and/or by telephone, without visiting the RHIF offices.

    You have the freedom to choose:

    You can receive or repair your aid, device, equipment or medical device throughout the country from any retailer who has a contract with RHIF.

What to do if you are a person with a disability and need an aid, device, equipment or medical device (ADEMD):

    To visit MAC/TEMC/NEMC, from where you will be issued an electronic protocol/decision for prescribing ADEMD;

    To the protocol/decision to fill in on the spot an electronic application for consent with the prescribed ADEMD and the need to provide them. The application can also be submitted by a person authorized by you;

    NHIF/RHIF expert commissions will review your electronic application and issue an approval or a motivated refusal;

    Each approval will contain information about you or the person authorized by you, if the application is submitted by him. The approval will have a registration number and date of issue. It will include ADEMD with their NHIF codes;

    You or the person authorized by you will be informed of the approval or the motivated refusal by a written message to the e-mail and/or by telephone specified by you. You do not need to visit an RHIF office;

    You will receive your ADEMD from any retailer who has entered into a contract with RHIF, without territorial restriction – i.e., wherever it is convenient for you, in the country. For this purpose, you must identify yourself to the trader of your choice through an identifier – PIN or personal number of a foreigner, names, number and date of approval for granting ADEMD.

You should also know:

    Applications for granting ADEMD of a total value of up to BGN 1,000 are considered by the RHIF.

    Applications for granting ADEMD for a total value equal to or higher than BGN 1,000 are considered by the NHIF.

    The prescribing of ADEMD is carried out according to the specification of the National Health Insurance Fund with a code, without specifying specific trade names or companies.

    It is possible to submit applications for granting ADEMD on paper to the RHIF only when the application cannot be submitted electronically by MAC/TEMC/NEMC due to technical reasons.

If your aid, device, appliance or medical device needs repair:

    You or a person authorized by you must submit an application for repair work (according to a sample) to the director of the RHIF. You can also send the application by letter with a notice of delivery (return receipt) through a licensed postal operator;

    An expert commission in the RHIF reviews and approves the applications;

    The director of the RHIF issues an approval for the provision of PPSMI or a motivated refusal. A motivated refusal is issued in case of non-compliance with the conditions specified in the list-specification with ADEMD, which is published on the NHIF website;

    Retailers who have a contract with RHIF are obliged to provide repair work to ADEMD. For this purpose, you or a person authorized by you must identify yourself to the trader of your choice through an identifier – PIN or personal number of a foreigner, names, number and date of approval for granting ADEMD. According to set criteria, the trader notes in the specialized software product the provided repair activity.

Proceedings for the provision of ADEMD and repair works have started and are not completed until June 30, 2022.

    Proceedings initiated and not completed by June 30, 2022 for the provision of ADEMD, including their payments, are carried out in the current order by the ASA;

    If as of July 1, 2022 you have a document issued by MAC/TEMC/NEMC, which does not determine ADEMD according to the approved specification, you can receive your aid, device, equipment or medical device after their individual determination by MAC/TEMC/NEMC, as you need to submit an electronic application.