Newswire
Sofia: Bulgaria is expected to complete 80 renovated elderly care centres by the end of the summer under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, in a move aimed at improving standards of care and strengthening oversight of social services for older people.
The announcement was made by Labour and Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova during the opening of a new family-type accommodation centre in the village of Asparuhovo in the Varna region.
The expansion comes amid growing public concern over elderly care in Bulgaria, one of Europe’s fastest-ageing countries. Over the past year, authorities have uncovered numerous unlicensed care homes where inspections revealed serious violations and poor living conditions. Government data show that inspections conducted in 2025 identified dozens of illegal facilities, leading to the relocation of hundreds of elderly residents.
Efremova said the new centre in Asparuhovo demonstrates how social services can be delivered while preserving residents’ dignity and quality of life. She added that all newly opened centres will operate according to modern care standards.
The Asparuhovo facility, financed through the state budget, has capacity for 40 residents and includes 25 rooms with private bathrooms, a modern kitchen and dining area. Care will be provided by a multidisciplinary team that includes a nurse, social worker and care assistants. Four additional social care facilities are also scheduled to be upgraded under the same model.
The centre will provide long-term accommodation for elderly people without physical disabilities, one of the most in-demand social services in the country.
Authorities have intensified monitoring of care institutions in recent months. More than 500 inspections were carried out during the first five months of 2025, while legislative amendments have been prepared to curb the illegal operation of care facilities.
The opening of new centres and the modernisation of existing services are widely viewed as important steps toward creating a more accessible, regulated and higher-quality system of elderly care in Bulgaria.
