Hospital Capacity Snapshot: Eurostat data shows Bulgaria has the highest hospital beds in the EU (870 per 100,000), while several countries sit below 300, highlighting a wider gap in care capacity and long-term care beds. NHIF Budget: Bulgaria’s Parliament approved the 2026 National Health Insurance Fund budget bill at first reading, setting revenues and spending at about EUR 5.256bn and keeping the health insurance contribution rate at 8%. Healthcare Partnerships: Prime Minister Rumen Radev met medical experts to expand international healthcare cooperation, stressing disease prevention, transparency, and pilot projects. Emergency Care in Action: Bulgaria’s helicopter emergency medical service completed five missions in under 48 hours, including transfers of critically ill children and accident victims. Public Health Warning: Health experts flagged a “flesh-eating” Vibrio risk in warm coastal waters across Europe, with Bulgaria listed among higher-suitability areas. Tourism & Wellness Push: The Tourism Ministry plans a familiarization visit for Japanese tour operators to showcase Bulgaria’s culture, wine, spa and wellness offerings. Education & Health Data: NHIF leadership met the creator of the Diagnosis Bulgaria platform to discuss healthcare data analysis. Corruption Checks: The National Audit Office referred four conflict-of-interest cases involving healthcare figures to anti-corruption and asset forfeiture bodies for further checks. International Mobility: Turkey published which nationalities can enter with expired passports, including Bulgaria, under specific conditions.