Left-liberal opposition parties have moved an interpellation in parliament about the health system's preparedness for the coronacrisis, criticising the government for not preparing for the second wave of the epidemic and bypassing the parliament in making decisions in that regard.
“When it comes to health in Croatia, the electricity goes out and generators stop working,” MP Anka Mrak Taritas (GLAS) said.
Throughout the spring they kept warning that the autumn would be difficult, that we need to be prepared and that we will not be able to work normally, go to school normally or gather. Everyone was getting prepared except the government, she said.
Health care for all other diseases has deteriorated
“The health system is at breaking point and instead of appropriately preparing for the crisis, the government has created fear, nervousness and a feeling of helplessness and uncertainty among citizens. We are moving this interpellation request because we want them to come to the parliament and say how they prepared themselves, how they are managing the crisis, what they are doing, particularly the Prime Minister, who claimed this spring that we had beaten the coronavirus,” underlined Mrak Taritas.
MP Marijana Puljak (Smart Party) warned that during the crisis the quality of and access to diagnostics and treatment for other illnesses had significantly deteriorated, from oncology, cardiovascular and psychiatric to other diseases, and that all other patients’ treatment was being deferred.
MP Andreja Maric (SDP) said there was still no health reform or plan as to how to resolve the accumulated debts in the health system or a repayment plan for the debt to drug wholesalers. There is still no national cancer strategy either, and these are just some of the problems in the health sector, said Maric.
MP Tomislav Tomasevic of the Green-Left Bloc said that it was time that the issue of the health crisis was brought back into the parliament.
Govt avoiding any sort of debate
Since the outbreak of the crisis the government has avoided any sort of debate, let alone allowing the parliament to adopt measures for the health system and economy, underscored Tomasevic.
These decisions have repercussions for human rights, the economy and citizens’ health and that is why they should be debated in the parliament, he said.
Decisions are politically motivated and are made as suits the HDZ and governement, which is why citizens’ trust in institutions has never been at a lower level, said Tomasevic.
MP Dalija Oreskovic (Party with a Name and Surname) warned that citizens cannot be sure when the COVID response team will proclaim their behaviour as illegal. Certain gatherings are assessed as disturbing peace and order and their organisers are charged yet on the other hand other high-risk gatherings are allowed ad hoc, she said.
The Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) supported the motion for the interpellation.
