ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and former health minister, Andrija Hebrang, has accused the incumbent authorities of "having stolen" close to six billion kuna (EUR0.810 billion) of
health funds.
ZAGREB, Sept 3 (Hina) - A vice-president of the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) and former health minister, Andrija Hebrang, has
accused the incumbent authorities of "having stolen" close to six
billion kuna (EUR0.810 billion) of health funds. #L#
Hebrang told a press conference on Tuesday the result of "the theft
in the Croatian Health Insurance Institute (HZZO) is Health
Minister Andro Vlahusic's decision to close down 15 hospital wards
without consulting medical workers, reduce the number of hospital
beds, cut the salaries of medical workers and lower hospital
spending limits".
Hebrang also claims that the money intended for the health system is
being stolen and that senior posts are being allocated according to
political suitability while workers are being threatened with
dismissal.
Since 2000 the HZZO has not been paid the 1.7 billion kuna (close to
EUR230 million) which it had paid into the budget in the form of VAT,
a loan in this amount was taken instead, but it is to be repaid not by
the state but the HZZO, Hebrang said, adding that this was the first
major fraud in the health system.
The government reduced health contribution rates to relieve
salaries in the economy from the tax burden, but over the past two
years it has failed to compensate the HZZO for the difference
amounting to three billion kuna (around EUR405 million), Hebrang
said.
Instead of paying the HZZO the accumulated budget debt of some three
billion kuna, the government has agreed to the HZZO seeking a loan
worth 820 million kuna (around EUR111 million), Hebrang said,
adding that almost six billion kuna had been stolen from the health
sector. The money, he claims, is used for the rehabilitation of the
Rijecka Banka and the Viktor Lenac shipyard so that they could "be
sold to SDP's tycoons and foreigners at a lower price".
Commenting on fraud accusations against the head of the Vukovar
hospital, Vesna Bosanac, Hebrang said Bosanac was being accused
before the completion of the investigation and that she was
entitled to the salaries she had received.
(hina) rml sb