Former Health Minister Darko Milinovic of the opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) on Tuesday denied allegations that the incumbent government led by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) inherited debts amounting to HRK 5.7 billion plus HRK 677 million of nonregistered long term dues in the healthcare sector, as was claimed in the findings of the "Clean Start" project, an analysis of the situation in 22 government bodies and state companies on 1 January 2012.
Insisting that such figures were incorrect, Milinovic today branded the "Clean Start" project, which was presented on Monday, as being "unclean".
To corroborate his statement about inaccuracy of the data in the said analysis, the HDZ official held a news conference in Gospic to cite figures from a document which the Croatian Health Insurance Agency (HZZO) and the agency's supervisory board, set up by, he said, the incumbent Health Minister Rajko Ostojic, had sent to the national parliament on 15 November 2012.
Milinovic highlighted that the document read that on 31 July 2012, the liabilities of clinic hospitals totalled HRK 2.9 billion, up HRK 759 million from 31 December 2011. The liabilities of general hospitals totalled HRK 1.7 billion, and of special health institutions HRK 258 million kuna.
This means that on 31 July 2012, the liabilities of hospital institutions were HRK 4.9 billion, up 639 million kuna from 31 December 2011.
The HDZ official also stressed that this document was signed by Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic.
He accused his successor of prolonging the payment period of 60 days, prescribed during his term, to present 270 days.
