Kollar: If Regions Support Reform of Hospitals, So Will We Are Family

If the planned reform of the hospital network is supported by regions, We Are Family will vote for it, Parliamentary Chair and We Are Family head Boris Kollar claimed on Sunday on TA3’s discussion programme ‘In Politics’.

Addressing the Justice Ministry-sponsored reform of the court map, which has now been adjusted a total of two times, Kollar stated that he personally isn’t content even with the latest, third version of the reform.

As for the planned reform of national reservations, which his party has been also boycotting, Kollar claimed that We Are Family and concerned parties are nearing a compromise.

“We’re aware that reforms are necessary and we want to carry them out,” said Kollar, adding, however, that there can’t be “reforms of reforms” in the future and that these measures mustn’t jeopardise and scrap jobs in concerned districts.

Kollar stated that he sees Health Minister Vladimir Lengvarsky’s (an OLaNO nominee) claim that no hospital will be shut down with the reform of the hospital network as “empty rhetoric”, claiming that some hospitals will be actually scrapped as they will be turned into hospitals providing only rehabilitation and post-treatment services.

In his opinion, We Are Family’s approach to the reforms isn’t meant to be viewed as an action against the Government. “I’m saving this Government by pointing to the fact that we can’t carry out a reform that’s disconnected from reality and that would throw regions into disarray,” said Kollar.

Meanwhile, Kollar’s opponent on the show, ex-premier and Voice-SD leader Peter Pellegrini stated that the dispute within the coalition regarding the reforms highlights the amateurism of the governing parties.

Pellegrini claimed that the MPs who’re centered around him in Parliament won’t support the health reform. According to Pellegrini, the Government’s draft budget for 2022 fails to reflect the fact that the health sector finds itself in a crisis and that there’s a looming threat of a further exodus of health staff abroad.

The Voice head claimed in this regard that he intends to propose to Parliament that the health sector should receive an extra €500 million from the state budget. Kollar agreed that hospitals should obtain more money from the budget.