The Bulgarian Paramedics Union (BPU) is one of the founders of a new European body for pre-hospital emergency care, its press office said. The European Federation of Pre-Hospital Emergency Associations (EUFEA) was set up in Vienna on 29 and 30 October.
BPU chair Iva Pehlivanska was elected auditor, so the union now has a representative in the federation's governing bodies.
It is the first time professional groups in pre-hospital emergency care have joined in one organisation at European level. The federation wants to narrow the big gaps between European countries in training, skills and professional recognition for people in the field.
Crews everywhere face staff shortages, more calls and harder cases, while rules on qualifications and powers still differ widely.
"Taking part in setting up the federation gives Bulgarian paramedics a chance to be heard in Europe," Pehlivanska said.
"In Bulgaria, some issues are still unresolved, including professional recognition, skills and the place of paramedics in the emergency care system," she added.
Many doctors and health care professionals who work in emergency services are also members of the union.
At the Military Medical Academy, applicants for training as a paramedic, a third-degree professional qualification, could submit documents from 8 to 18 September 2026.