REVIVAL AND ESTABLISHMENT OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS IN BULGARIAN HEALTHCARE (1990-2019)

Abstract

From 1947 to 1990, all health professionals gradually became part of the Health Workers' Union. At the beginning of the democratic changes in Bulgaria (1989-1990) the revival and registration of professional organizations of the medical professions began. Some of them for a short time, others for a longer period are members of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria and the Confederation of Labor "Support". With the legislative changes in the country, the healthcare professions became regulated professions, which led to the emergence of legally legitimate professional organizations. The purpose of this review is to trace and present the revival of professional organizations of health professionals in Bulgaria after 1990. Archival documents, written sources and websites of official organizations and trade unions were used for this purpose. From the collected and presented information we can conclude that according to the legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria each regulated profession should have its own professional organization, regardless of whether it is a union or an association. Some professions have independent legally legitimate professional organizations, while others are part of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals.