Bulgarian FinMin Blames Ex Cabinet for Health Care Collapse

The Member of the Parliament from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, Maya Manolova, says only Octopus Paul would know the amount of funds for the country's health care system. Photo by BGNES

The expenditures for hospital care are consistently going up over the decision of the previous cabinet to use the National Health Insurance Fund (NZOK) to finance hospitals, Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, says.

The Minister spoke Thursday in the Parliament where he appeared to answer questions from the Members of the General Assembly.

According to Djankov, the health care system needs more and more money and this is the failure of the executive and legislative power during previous government terms.

"The system which should cure people is sick. The health care reform stopped in the distant 2001 and the last two cabinets have not done a thing in the sector," the Minister said.

Djankov further informed the cabinet had proposed additional financing in the amount of BGN 65 M, which is to partially solve the problem in 2010, but the crisis would be faced full force again in the near future.

"In order to use the fiscal reserve for health care we need a reform. A reform that has stalled for 8 years over the failure of those who are now in opposition," the Minister declared.

The Member of the Parliament from the main opposition group, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP, Maya Manolova, countered only Octopus Paul, (the oracle of the World Football Cup) knows how much money NZOK has.

Her fellow Socialist, Angel Naydenov, added Djankov's hearing only confirmed pessimistic forecasts he would fail to offer any relevant information and followed the scenario to provide cover-up for the current cabinet over the collapse of the health care system.

"We understood that there has not been a reform in the sector in the last 8 years, but no one said anything about not having one in the last 14 months since Djankov's center-right GERB cabinet took office," the MP pointed out.

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