Bulgarian Parliament Rejects Proposal to Withdraw from WHO Agreement

Sofia, Bulgaria – The Bulgarian Parliamentary Health Committee voted 4-14, with two abstentions, to reject a draft resolution that would have required the Council of Ministers to initiate Bulgaria’s withdrawal from its Basic Agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO), CE Report quotes BTA

The motion, proposed by MP Kostadin Kostadinov of Vazrazhdane and other MPs, argued that Bulgaria’s participation in the WHO does not offer added value given the EU's existing health policies and prevention tools. The proponents also cited bureaucratic inefficiencies and wasteful spending, pointing out that Bulgaria spent over BGN 145 million on vaccines that were later discarded due to expiration.

However, Health Committee Chairman Kostadin Angelov dismissed the proposal as legally inadmissible, noting that the National Assembly cannot unilaterally amend international treaties under the Constitution.

Health Minister Silvi Kirilov highlighted Bulgaria’s recent election to the WHO Executive Board in 2024, a position the country had not held for over 30 years. He emphasized that this allows Bulgaria to actively participate in WHO reforms focused on transparency and financial governance. Currently, Bulgaria, Poland, and Slovakia are the only EU countries with voting rights on the Executive Board.

The decision reinforces Bulgaria’s continued engagement with the WHO despite concerns raised by some lawmakers.