Bulgarian officials reported Saturday that they rescued scores of individuals from two illegal care homes where they faced severe mistreatment. Justice Minister Georgy Georgiev labeled the establishments as “houses of horrors,” detailing the harrowing experiences victims endured, including beatings, restraints, and sedation.
Approximately 75 individuals were freed from the illicit facilities located in eastern Bulgaria, which the owners fraudulently labeled as health centers, promising “rooms for rent” for just over 400 euros a month. The ministry unveiled distressing images showcasing the appalling living conditions within these homes and the victims being transported away in ambulances.
Georgiev presented a photo that appeared to show elderly residents with their legs restrained, as reported by local media. Out of the rescues, 19 individuals were taken from one facility and 56 from another. The regional prosecutor’s office in Stara Zagora confirmed that five arrests were made, with an investigation underway for charges of kidnapping, violence, and negligence.
In a statement, the prosecutor’s office noted that testimonies revealed one elderly woman had not exited the facility for four years and described one resident who attempted to escape but was caught, beaten, and left unconscious.
The justice ministry indicated that several of those rescued had “their feet tied and were sedated,” confined to rooms stripped of bedding, with window handles removed, effectively isolating them from the outside world. Georgiev announced that inspections of nursing homes and hospices were in progress as part of efforts to address property fraud targeting at-risk individuals.
He emphasized that these disturbing findings are tied to ongoing investigations into property mafia schemes exploiting vulnerable populations. The international community has frequently criticized the condition of health facilities in Bulgaria, the lowest-income nation in the European Union, where a shortage of adequate care options for the elderly has contributed to the rise of illegal centers.
Tragically, this issue has been highlighted by past incidents, including a fire in November 2021 that claimed nine lives at a nursing home near Varna, followed by a similar fire in May 2022 that resulted in four additional deaths at another facility in the region.