The rise of fentanyl-related deaths in Bulgaria began in 2024, but institutions have so far failed to take adequate action, according to experts working in addiction services. Yulia Georgieva from the “Pink House,” speaking in an interview with Bulgarian National Radio, said the full scale of the situation will only become clearer once the National Focus Center for Drugs and Drug Addicts publishes its 2025 report, though she stressed that official figures do not capture all cases.
During the program “12+3,” she addressed concerns about so-called “black statistics,” including reports from a European organization that approximately 100 deaths linked to fentanyl were recorded in Bulgaria over the 2024–2025 period. Georgieva said she cannot confirm the accuracy of that number.
“Often, unfortunately, the death certificate states the cause - for example, pulmonary edema, and the statistics remain hidden. Autopsies are not performed in Bulgaria if a person dies on the street and there is no suspicion of a criminal act. But 100 deaths is officially a high result against the background of Europe. The wave started at the end of 2024. The institutions did not take serious measures on this issue,” she said.
