PROTECTION OF PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESSES -There is a need of a comprehensive in-depth reform of the psychiatric care. -The NPM recommends to the Minister of Health to specify a reasonable period for the adoption of the National Strategy for Mental Health 2020 – 2030 and the Action Plan to it. -The NPM recommends to the Minister of Health to improve the health care in the psychiatric hospitals, to provide funds to state psychiatric hospitals for repair works and maintenance and good material conditions. -Guarantee decent payment for medical and non-medical staff and ensure adequate staffing. -The NPM recommends to the Minister of Labour and Social Policy to expand the social services for people with mental illnesses in accordance with the demands in society and terminate the practice of long stays in the state psychiatric hospitals. The NPM conducted annual inspections of state psychiatric hospitals (SPHs) and mental health centres (MHCs) in the country. A major focus in the inspections was placed on respecting the rights of the people subject to compulsory treatment under Article 155 of the Health Act and involuntary treatment under Article 89 of the Criminal Code. They are placed mainly in SPHs and MHCs and based on their data they comprise about 30 % of treated patients for the year. The NPM would like to point out that the Strategy for Mental Health 2020 – 2030 and the Action Plan to it have not been adopted yet. This impedes the reform of the system for the provision of psychiatric care since the National Strategy envisages improving the material conditions, training of specialists, information campaigns, psychosocial rehabilitation, social assistance etc. In this connection the NPM recommends to the Minister of Health to specify a reasonable period for the adoption of the National Strategy for Mental Health 2020 – 2030 and the Action Plan to it. In 2019, the NPM conducted four inspections of health establishments (Karlukovo SPH, Kardzhali SPH, Plovdiv MHC and Sofia region MHC). Functioning in the country are 12 State Psychiatric Hospitals; 12 Mental Health Centres; 5 psychiatric clinics at university hospitals and 17 psychiatric wards at multi-profile hospitals. The total annual costs for mental care account for some 3 % of the budget of the Ministry of Health (MoH). According to data from the 2018 the European Psychiatric Association Report 2018 on Bulgaria, as of 2015 the number of psychiatrists is very low (7.4 per 100,000 population) which is less than half the European average of 18.5. 33