The National Healthcare Map will determine the final number and type of hospitals in every region of the country able to contract provision of health services with the NHIF. These amendments to the Medical Establishments Act were adopted at first reading with 81 “yes” votes, 31 against and 7 abstentions. The changes in the law introduce new rules for hospitals and requirements they need to cover in order to be able to sign a contract with the NHIF. Local hospitals with more beds than the average for the country as well as more than the average beds for specialized treatment such as therapeutic, surgical, etc will be given preference. The number of the multi- profile hospitals, contractors to the NHIF can not be greater than the one of the previous year. The same goes for the specialized hospitals. In both cases the NHIF is to make the selection of the hospitals, based on criteria determined by the NHIF’s Supervisory Board and on proposal of the head of the NHIF. The changes will allow specialized hospitals to provide specialized primary health services. The new provisions envisage the closure of the existing treatment facilities for dermatological and venereal diseases, which receive the option to reregister as medical establishments for “diagnostics and consultation”, as “medical centers” or as “specialized hospitals” for day care.

The parliament adopted today a decision to establish a temporary inquiry committee to probe the legal grounds, facts and circumstances for the pardon granting, public debt remittal, the granting and suspension of Bulgarian citizenship exercised by the former presidential office in the period of 21 January 2002 – 22 January 2012. The proposal for the committee was submitted by the independent MP Yane Yanev. It was approved with 105 votes in favor, 46 against and 1 abstention. Yane Yanev was elected to chair the committee.