MLADEN KOVACIC RESIGNS FROM HEALTH INSURANCE INSTITUTE

ZAGREB, March 6 (Hina) - Mladen Kovacic, a member of the Managing Council of the Croatian Health Insurance Institute, has tendered his irrevocable resignation on Saturday after his offer of an award to journalists for positive coverage of the work of the Institute sparked allegations of corruption among journalists.#L# "I invited journalists to join me for dinner last week because I wanted to get acquainted with them and improve our cooperation," Kovacic told Hina. "Reporters covering the health sector are well aware of the problems in the functioning of the system and that it is impossible to set up a fund for awarding journalists. They know that it's not me who can decide about that," he added. Kovacic said he had asked reporters not to write sensation-mongering articles about problems in the health sector as that could be damaging. "Something that was well thought-out was misunderstood," Kovacic said. He said he had not responded to initial media reports on the case, because he thought "that will be the end of it", but added that "if reporters continue to use the word "bribe" I will be forced to seek legal protection". Kovacic's resignation followed Friday's announcement by Health Minister Andrija Hebrang that he would propose that the government relieve Kovacic of his duties. (Hina) vm