site.btaOmbudsman: Most Complaints in 2020 about Water and Heating Bills, Pensions

Sofia, January 2 (BTA) - More than 13,200 individuals filed
complaints and received help, and 23,865 people submitted
collective petitions and complaints as at December 23, 2020,
according to a report drawn up by the office of Ombudsman Diana
Kovacheva.

Poor quality water and sewerage services and incomprehensible
heating bills were the subject of nearly 2,000 out of 3,289
complaints about consumer rights infringements. Next come
problems in social rights, education and health care, which were
 the subject of 2,926 complaints. In the area of pensions and
social security, 209 people complained about low pensions. As
regards health care, most of 835 people complained to the
Ombudsman about disability certificates issued by the
territorial expert medical commissions (and in few cases by the
National Expert Medical Commission). People also complained
about certain anti-COVID restrictions or alerted the Ombudsman
to flouting of the restrictions.

Out of 1,060 complaints concerning the right to education, 721
came from parents seeking support for problems in pre-school and
 school education.

The Children's Rights Directorate received 434 complaints,
nearly half of which were related to the COVID-19 pandemic,
meaning that many children, especially the vulnerable groups,
were at risk during the emergency situation. Most requests for
financial and social support came from single parents without
incomes, while Roma families and neighbourhoods asked for
protective equipment.
 
Regarding children with disabilities, most complaints were about
 those with special education needs or about refusals by the
National Heath Insurance Fund to provide financing for treatment
 abroad (mostly in Turkey) or for medical products and
therapeutic foods. NV/DD