In brief
Bulgaria’s labour minister announced that the Montana region will receive €7 million to establish integrated care facilities for 43 elderly residents, with additional projects under EU‑backed programmes. The new services will complement existing homes in Lom, Montana and Chiprovtsi and are slated to be operational by 1 January 2035. Uncertainties remain about the actual timeline and completion of these facilities.
Bulgaria’s Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Natalia Efremova, told a parliamentary question session on 13 November 2026 that the Montana region will receive a €7 million grant under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan to establish integrated health and social residential care services for 43 elderly people who are unable to care for themselves. According to BTA, the new facilities will be distributed across Lom (12 residents), Montana (23 residents) and Chiprovtsi (8 residents).
Funding and Support
The €7 million earmarked for Montana is part of a broader national allocation of €188 million for similar projects across Bulgaria, as stated by the minister. The state has supplied municipalities with the opportunity to submit proposals for projects backed by EU funding, specifically through the “Support for Integrated Urban Development in 40 Urban Municipalities” procedure – the second component of the Regions in Growth Programme.
Existing Facilities and Planned Capacity
Montana Region already operates three elderly care homes that serve 229 residents. The National Map of Social Services envisages the creation of additional residential care services to accommodate 121 elderly people of retirement age. Within the new projects, a total of 91 beds will be constructed, providing integrated health and social support for people who cannot care for themselves.
Assistance Services
Beyond institutional care, the state supports elderly residents in their own homes. BTA reports that 498 individuals across 11 municipalities in the Montana region currently receive home‑based assistance. Additionally, 2,683 people with disabilities in the region benefit from services under the Personal Assistance Act, as highlighted by the minister.
Timeline
The minister emphasized that all services listed in the National Map of Social Services must be established by 1 January 2035. While the announcement outlines the funding and proposed capacities, it does not indicate that the construction has commenced or that the deadline is guaranteed to be met.
Uncertainties cited in the source include whether the €7 million allocated to Montana will be fully disbursed in time to meet the 2035 deadline, whether construction of the new facilities will begin promptly, and whether the projected capacities will be achieved before the target date.
