In brief
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced a €7 million National Recovery and Resilience Plan grant to create integrated health and social residential care services for 43 elderly people in the Montana Region. The services will be distributed across Lom, Montana, and Chiprovtsi, complementing the region’s existing homes and progressing toward a national goal of 121 additional residential places. All facilities are slated to open by 1 January 2035, while home‑based support continues for hundreds of residents.
On 13 November 2026 the Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced a new initiative to establish integrated health and social residential care services for 43 elderly persons who are unable to care for themselves in the Montana Region.
Minister Natalia Efremova told parliament that the new facilities will serve 12 residents in Lom, 23 in Montana and eight in Chiprovtsi. The project is funded by a €7 million allocation from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), a national programme that supports the reform of municipally owned care homes to meet quality standards.
“The services will be provided in the municipalities of Lom, for 12 people, Montana, for 23 people, and Chiprovtsi, for eight people,” Efremova said.
“Under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the state has provided funding to enable all municipally owned care homes to be reformed to meet quality standards for residential care.”She added that the Montana Region was awarded €7 million of the total €188 million NRRP grant available for senior care projects country‑wide.
The region already hosts three existing homes, caring for an additional 229 residents. In addition, the National Map of Social Services calls for 121 new residential care places for retirement‑age individuals to be added in the region, bringing the total capacity from the program to 91 people.
Efremova emphasised that municipalities of Montana and Chiprovtsi have submitted proposals under the “Support for Integrated Urban Development in 40 Urban Municipalities” programme—a component of the broader Regions in Growth Initiative. These proposals cover the construction and full equipment of new facilities for retirees without disabilities and for those in need of ongoing medical care.
The minister also highlighted the state’s complementary support for elderly people through assistance services in their own homes. According to the announcement, 498 individuals across all 11 Montana municipalities currently receive such services, while 2,683 people with disabilities are supported under the Personal Assistance Act.
All new integrated services, as listed in the National Map of Social Services, must be operational by 1 January 2035. The Ministry’s statement underscored the dual focus of the plan: expanding institutional care capacity while prioritising at‑home assistance to keep elderly residents in familiar surroundings whenever possible.
In summary, the Ministry’s plan introduces 43 additional residential beds, funded under the NRRP, spread across Lom, Montana and Chiprovtsi, integrates care for those unable to self‑care, and complements existing home‑based support programmes. The initiative aligns with national objectives to modernise elder care infrastructure and aims for full deployment by the start of 2035.
