Medics from Pirogov emergency institute in Sofia protested twice on July 17.

In a letter doctors requested a 50 per cent increase in wages starting July 1 and new labour contracts, Darik Radio reported.

Pirogov emergency institute serves nearly 230 000 patients annually. Only 35 000 people are hospitalised, Darik reported.

Pirogov does not receive money from the National Health Insurance Fund for patients that undergo treatment without entering the hospital. Expenditure for one patient reaches on the average 30 leva, or six million leva annually.

Protesting doctors said they deserved proper payment for their labour. According to the protesters their wages had decreased by nearly 30 per cent since the beginning of 2006.

Pirogov director Spas Spaskov invited the protesters to a meeting with Health Ministry representatives but the doctors refused to attend.