Europe Asia News

The Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MTSP) has provided 1,488 individuals with disabilities free high-tech assistive devices under a project funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The ministry also issued certificates enabling 2,061 others to obtain such devices. Officials emphasized that the state had not previously provided this type of equipment.

The ministry noted that the assistive devices include modern technologies such as AI-powered smart glasses, microprocessor prosthetics, standing wheelchairs, Braille computers, and screen-reader software. According to the ministry, these devices aim to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities and support their full integration by expanding opportunities for education, employment, sports, and social participation.

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov stated: “It is the responsibility of the entire society to ensure that people with disabilities have increasing opportunities for full integration.” He added that, under a regulation amended this spring at his initiative, individuals with disabilities were granted the right to choose the assistive device and supplier that best meet their needs. Gutsanov emphasized that behind more than 2,000 certificates lie real life stories, making the right to choose critically important.