"The hospital system in Croatia doesn't work as it should, but the Vukovar and Knin hospitals have special status and reverence, so they won't be touched in their legal status, let alone shut down as hospitals," Milanovic said.
He said some hospitals would be combined because "we can no longer financially sustain the current situation and the service isn't good either."
Analyses are being made to keep or raise the quality of service, facilitate management and combine certain functions, said the PM. "This means that no community will be left without the hospital it now has," he added, reiterating that the Vukovar and Knin hospitals, for historical reasons, because of the Homeland War, would keep their status.
At the beginning of the government's last session this year, Milanovic said 2014 would be difficult but better than 2013. "Next year will be less difficult but it will continue to be difficult. But, I say with full confidence that it will be better than this year."
Speaking to the press outside the government, Health Minister Rajko Ostojic said the government's master plan for hospitals would make health care better, more efficient and more available, saving about HRK 400 million annually.
He said the master plan would be ready by the end of February, presented to citizens and discussed with experts.
He reiterated that hospitals would not be closed but "functionally linked, reducing the number of activities."
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.6)