Apart from being prohibitively priced, staple foods are often unfindable in shops. Wary of the volatile situation, some retailers would rather not sell at all. Shelves in many pharmacies, above all the state-owned ones, are empty. People are stocking up heavily on Bulgarian-made medicines. Very few can afford American aspirin, Austrian antibiotics or British head-ache pills.
Local hospitals are in a disastrous condition.
Most of them require patients to bring their own medicines and dressing. The crisis has also hit vital institutions such as the ambulance service and the Pirogov Emergency Hospital, where essential medical supplies are scarce. Electricity rates are exorbitant, and another 35 per cent hike will apply as from the end of this week. Petrol is already a luxury item for average Bulgarians. Incidentally, it is out of stock.