"A Croatian association of young doctors on Monday thanked everyone for helping them organize their recent protest rally, saying that they wouldn't give up or accept any partial solutions, but only a fundamental reform of the healthcare system," state agency Hina said on Monday.

On Saturday, several hundred young doctors, medical residents and students staged a protest rally in front of the Health Ministry in Zagreb, and were received by Minister Vili Beros after the protest.

“The association welcomed the fact that at the end of the protest rally, their representatives were invited to a meeting at the Ministry of Health, where they presented all their demands and proposals,” Hina said, without explaining what those demands were.

“We received confirmation from the minister and his associates that our demands were justified, and the draft of the healthcare reform was presented to us. At the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, we will present our comments and proposed amendments to the draft, and we hope that they will mostly be adopted,” Hina cited doctors as saying.

They also said that they were entering talks with the Ministry of Health “completely open to a constructive agreement and with the best will to help solve the accumulated problems burdening healthcare”.

“However, they will not allow further delay in the implementation of the reform,” Hina said.

“We think that  if there is will to do so most of the demands can be resolved by the end of the year, which would be a clear indication that this health administration has a real and sincere desire to improve the Croatian healthcare system,” Hina cited their unsigned press release, without clarifying.