Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Anton Valev: Medicines disappearing from pharmacies’ shelves is practice not contrary to European rules

Photo: BGNES

The periodic disappearance of certain medicines from the shelves of Bulgarian pharmacies is completely legal and regulated according to European rules and is a consequence of the so-called "parallel export," President of the National Pharmacy Chamber Anton Valev told the BNR. According to him, countries affected need to demand changes to this part of the European Union treaty.

"A company sells a specific drug for 10 euros in Germany, for example. The same medicine on the Bulgarian market costs 5 euros, so that Bulgarians could afford it. This way the drug becomes very profitable for some exporters - whether it would be a Bulgarian company or a German company or a cooperation between a Bulgarian and a German company. They could buy all the quantities from the Bulgarian market and sell them on the German market at a price of 8 euros, for example, thus making huge profits," Valev explained the mechanism of the phenomenon.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Ministry of Finance releases 2025 draft budget

The Ministry of Finance published the 2025 draft budget and the medium-term budget forecast for the 2025-2028 period. The projected deficit for 2025 is up to 6.4 billion BGN (EUR 3.3 billion), which is 3% of GDP.  Expenditures will not exceed 40% of..

published on 2/19/25 8:42 AM

Solemn ceremonies across Bulgaria will pay homage to Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski

A commemorative ceremony today in the center of Sofia will mark the 152nd anniversary of the death of Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski. The solemn ceremony in front of the Monument to the Apostle of Freedom will begin at 6:00 p.m. Citizens will..

published on 2/19/25 5:35 AM

Cold weather expected on Wednesday, temperatures continue to drop

On Wednesday, the lowest temperatures will range between minus 8°C and minus 3°C, for Sofia around minus 7°C . During the day, snow showers in the northeastern regions will begin to stop, but in southeastern Bulgaria it will still snow in many places...

published on 2/18/25 7:05 PM