President Milanović: Why are management rights of hospitals being taken away from counties when debts are created by state-run hospitals?
“I am watching the progress this region is making, how it is changing, how Zagorje has progressed more than any other region”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated today at the special session of the County Assembly on the occasion of Krapina-Zagorje County Day held in Krapina.
In his address he referred to the territorial redesign of the state introduced thirty years ago as some say according to “the model of the first President Franjo Tuđman. Everyone is talking about the abolition of municipalities, but no one has yet their hand in favour of it, neither the right wing nor the left wing the heroes. People are not in favour of abolishing the municipalities, they want new ones. Counties have existed and operated for the past thirty years. There is no ideal model as there is no ideal level of centralization or decentralization because one size does not suit all, it is not universal. States have achieved progress as highly centralized and highly decentralized alike”, President Milanotić noted.
He compared it to individual successful states such as Great Britain, which is very centralized and the United States of America as a decentralized model. He also mentioned Germany that experienced both models of administration in the course of its history. “Our model is transitory and sustainable, and enables a level of self-government, as well as some centralization. When we opt for one model then we have to push it, especially is there are no visible and serious harmful consequences”, he stated.
The President also talked about corruption as the greatest problem of every system whether the system is highly centralized or decentralized. “There is not organizational system of the state and level of centralization that guarantee that the problem will be eradicated because such things are not related. Therefore what we adopted we have to push further”, he concluded.
The President reminded that we must fight for every euro in the European Union because it is the only target we have to aim for. “This has to become clear to those who talk about common values, space, freedom and democracy. We must live between two extremes: ‘everyone for himself’ which does not guarantee the survival of Europe, and the other in which Brussels bureaucrats decide on everything, which is worse than the first”, he said, underlining that it is in Croatia’s best interest to position itself in the middle.
Given that decentralization is part of the Croatian constitutional order and that things have been organized in such a way, he cannot understand moves such as the centralization of general hospitals. “Therefore, just like every citizen I expect a clear and reasonable explanation why the management rights of general hospitals are being taken away from the counties”, he noted. He wondered whether it is to take over personnel policy and make possible the installation of individuals that are close to the government, or whether to make the system sustainable. He warned that the greatest creators of debts in healthcare are university hospital centres already run by the state. Therefore, President Milanović is not convinced that by taking over management rights over general hospitals the state will solve problems such as financial sustainability.
Also speaking at the special session besides President Milanović were the president of Krapina-Zagorje County Assembly Zlatko Šorša, Krapina-Zagorje County-Prefect Željko Kolar, Mayor of Krapina Zoran Gregurović, President of the Parliamentary Committee for Domestic Policy and National Security Siniša Hajdaš Dončić, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County-Prefect Zlatko Komadina, and the State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and delegate of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Zdravko Tušek. On the occasion of Krapina-Zagorje County Day awards and recognitions were presented to this year’s winners.
Alongside President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas