President Zoran Milanovic on Thursday met with representatives of the Croatia against Cancer initiative, an association of cancer patients, supporting their demands for the adoption of a national cancer strategy as soon as possible.

Croatia is the only EU member state that still hasn’t adopted a national cancer strategy which would represent a model of true and more than necessary reform of the health system which Croatia has to implement with the aim of improving the outcome of treatment and ensuring patient rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the meeting was told.

The initiative’s representatives warned that adopting the strategy would put Croatia in a position to use EU funds intended for the fight against cancer, which now is not possible.