The Health Ministry said in a press release on Friday that the hiring of suppliers for the CijepiSe ("GetVaccinated") online platform for registration for vaccination against Covid-19 had been transparent and in line with the law.

The ministry said its reaction was prompted by a number of media reports on the lack of transparency and favoring of some of the companies that were hired to design the CijepiSe platform, dismissing the reports as “tendentious.”

“The companies Ericsson Nikola Tesla, In2 and Cuspis were hired through existing contracts for information sub-systems of the Croatian Central Health Information System (CEZIH), signed following open public procurement procedures,” the ministry said, noting that the platform consisted of a large number of components that were constantly adapted to the epidemiological situation.

The value of the project is estimated at 4.5 million kuna, including VAT, it said, adding that the only payment made so far was one amounting to 196,000 kuna to Cuspis, for setting up the website at cijepise.zdravlje.hr.

“Other payments will be made as individual components of the project are implemented,” the ministry said, adding that Cuspis and the other companies concerned are certified software developers with more than 15 years of experience in the field of health care digitization.

Cuspis had also cooperated with the Health Ministry before the term of incumbent Minister Vili Beros, the ministry said.