Protesting medics from Pirogov emergency institute truly requested higher wages and better working conditions, but private interests stood behind the overall scheme, Health Minister Radoslav Gaidarski said.

Gaidarski commented on the ongoing protests of medical workers from the institute, Novinar newspaper reported. Pirogov staff threatened to start striking in case the Health Ministry turned down the demands.

Pirogov’s conditions and the calls for higher salaries were unrealistic, Gaidarski said.

At the same time institute representatives asked the protesting medics to refrain from meeting the Health Minister, who could pressure them into surrendering the demands.

Gaidarski said that funds for significantly higher wages were unavailable. Some of Pirogov’s clinics did  not do as much work and some of the medics were occupied only two hours a day, Gaidarski said.

Protesting medics at the same time said that they had collected the signatures needed to launch a strike.