A debate over the future of Bulgaria’s maternity leave system has moved to the center of political discussion after Vladimir Nikolov, an MP from Progressive Bulgaria and former national volleyball team captain, revealed that the government is considering reducing the length of paid maternity leave. Any such move, he stressed, would depend on solving a long-standing shortage of nurseries and daycare facilities, particularly in larger cities.
Speaking on bTV, Nikolov argued that the core issue is not the amount of financial support mothers receive during the second year of leave, but rather the lack of childcare options that prevents many women from returning to work when they would like to.
"The problem here is not the increase in money for the second year of maternity leave. The problem is that mothers cannot find nurseries for their children," he said.
According to Nikolov, conversations with mothers have convinced him that many women would prefer to resume their careers earlier but are effectively forced to remain at home because suitable childcare is unavailable.
"I have had conversations with many mothers. They prefer to work. They do not want to stay at home, but some of them stay at home because there are no nurseries for their children," he explained.
