Raids over the issuing of TELK disability rulings are coming very soon, Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said at a briefing at the Council of Ministers. He warned those involved that this is only the start of a campaign that will continue until the abuses stop.

Two clinics at St George multi-profile hospital for active treatment in Plovdiv have already been checked. Plovdiv regional prosecutor Vanya Hristeva told reporters yesterday that six people have been charged and three are being held for up to 72 hours.

There have been 40 searches of people and addresses in Plovdiv, Karlovo and Krichim. Six doctors and four nurses have been detained.

Fifteen patients listed as inpatients at the Plovdiv hospital are not there and were never admitted. They cost the state €7,500 a day. Demerdzhiev said the practice has gone on for years across the country, and that the damage runs to "tens and hundreds of millions".

In whole regions of Bulgaria, disability has become a way to make a living and a profession, the minister said. He said fake TELK rulings, and rulings for people with no illness, harm those who really need help. They damage the state budget and give some people unfair privileges. The problem is not only diverted money but also the risk to people's lives and health. Last year's budget for TELK and people with disabilities was €1.5bn.

Two weeks ago, the Interior Ministry and the State Agency for National Security (DANS) ran a raid that uncovered the prescribing of costly drugs. Some of them were diverted and re-exported abroad instead of reaching patients. Demerdzhiev called the exports unacceptable and said the case cost the budget a huge amount. He called on prosecutors to work more actively on the case.

The minister thanked the Health Ministry and the Plovdiv prosecutor's office for their cooperation on the Plovdiv case. Demerdzhiev said the Interior Ministry is ready to keep working on cases of health care money being drained, together with the Health Ministry, DANS and the National Health Insurance Fund.