Bulgaria Cracks Down Again on Illegal Elderly Homes: 130 Rescued from Abuse in Varna

A total of 130 people are being removed from three illegal adult care facilities in Varna following an operation carried out Monday night - the third such action in recent weeks targeting unauthorized nursing homes across Bulgaria. Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov and Justice Minister Georgi Georgiev announced the operation at an emergency press briefing held Tuesday morning in Varna.

Authorities inspected three separate sites during the raid. At one of the locations, the conditions were described as appalling. “I don’t know if we should even use the term ‘perversion rooms,’ but what we saw goes beyond anything normal,” said Minister Gutsanov. The scene, he added, was deeply disturbing, raising serious concerns about the treatment of Bulgaria’s most vulnerable citizens.

So far, 14 of the residents have been transferred to medical facilities, and authorities say all 130 will be removed from the premises in the coming days. Gutsanov vowed to continue the crackdown until the last illegal home is shut down. “A society is measured by how it treats its most defenseless. Rest assured—we will see this through,” he said.

Justice Minister Georgiev confirmed the pattern seen in this case mirrors previous discoveries, such as the one in the village of Yagoda. “No surprises - same setup. We’re talking about rooms-for-rent repurposed into makeshift nursing homes. They tried to pass these off as tourist accommodations, but in reality, they are illegal shelters for the elderly,” he explained.

In one of the homes, officials found over 70 declarations of consent from residents, all dated the same day - likely fabricated in anticipation of an inspection. “They’re still trying to play smart. But we won’t let these schemes continue,” Georgiev said. The Justice Minister announced plans for legal measures to target and permanently shut down such operations.

Inspectors found troubling details in each of the sites. Elderly people, some of them without identification documents, were housed in inadequate and sometimes dangerous conditions. Patients with mental health issues were mixed together with others in common rooms, raising the risk of serious incidents. In one case, a sizable stash of pharmacy items was discovered. Although a folder containing protocols for expensive medications was found, the actual medicines were missing. Instead, authorities discovered psychotropic drugs and medications for cardiovascular problems.

Ivanka Dineva, Director of Medical Supervision, said that basic documentation was lacking - even rental agreements were missing. “One 96-year-old woman was just brought in three days ago, already suffering from serious health issues,” Dineva revealed. Diapers were being reused, and hygiene conditions were extremely poor. “Everyone appeared to have had their heads shaved - both men and women. They said it was due to lice and fleas, and I can confirm we saw cockroaches as well,” she added.

According to Dineva, some of the patients had been stripped of their dignity. Medical supervision teams were working to ensure that the elderly are transferred to proper healthcare facilities where they can receive the necessary treatment and attention.

Authorities reiterated that the state will not tolerate the existence of these illegal institutions and that inspections will continue until all such facilities are identified and shut down.