The government is committed to finding the best solutions for the "Simo Milošević" Institute in Igalo, all with the aim of solving the problems encountered years ago in the long term.
This is what the Minister of Health told "Vijesti". Dragoslav Šcekić after yesterday's meeting of representatives of the Government, Municipality of Herceg novi, the management of the Institute and the Union of Trade Unions.
"I am against the privatization of the Institute, which was the position of all the participants of the meeting. The representatives of the Ministry of Health highlighted the positive and negative sides of the procedure of selling the state package of shares, as well as the purchase of the minority package, emphasizing that the Health Fund is a significant beneficiary that generates 95,000 overnight stays for the Institute throughout the year, and that in the case of privatization, this figure could be significantly lower due to potential increase in prices, which would have a negative impact on the quality of health care. While on the other hand, the purchase of a minority package of shares does not solve the long-term problem, it is necessary to continue with multimillion-dollar investments in order for the Institute to generate income and operate according to a sustainable model", said Šćekić, adding that they also emphasized the importance of professionalizing management, room for optimization and rationalization of current costs and increase of income.
At the meeting, five conclusions were defined, the first of which is to consider an additional increase in the prices that the Fund pays to the Institute for its policyholders in the budget proposal of the Health Fund for next year.
The conclusions are that the Ministry of Health, Finance and the representatives of the Institute's trade union should complete the negotiations regarding the new collective agreement, express the intention to buy back the shares of the minority shareholders and consider the preconditions for the realization of that intention, look at the possibilities for additional financial infusion to the Institute, which is in accordance with the law, in order to continue the business of the institute, as well as for the Government to express its support for the Institute to find new sources of income such as contracts with foreign groups that would come for treatment.
The president of the Institute's Trade Union addressed the media after the meeting, as reported by TV Vijesti Marija Obradović and the president of the Municipality of Herceg Novi Ivan Otovic.
"I hope that very soon - when I say that, I mean in the next seven days, the issue of Jugobanka will be resolved, as well as the equally important issues of the urgent signing of the Collective Agreement, that is, the verification of the already negotiated Collective Agreement," said Obradović, adding that it is certain that this contract will be signed in the relatively near future", said Obradović.
Otović said that perhaps one of the most important conclusions is that the state will buy out the shares of minority shareholders, which will create preconditions for the state to have more mechanisms for solving problems in the Institute.
"Vijesti" announced last week that the largest private shareholder of the Institute is "Simo Milošević" from Igalo Zarko Rakcevic offered to sell his share of 27,5 percent of the shares to the state for five million euros, i.e. at the same price at which he and the Czech partner "Philibert" offered to buy the state's package of shares in a tender in 2019.
Rakčević, who owns the shares of the Institute through his company "Vila Oliva", said last week at a meeting of the Union of Free Trade Unions about the fate of the company from Igalo that his offer at the time was rejected with the explanation that he offered a low price for the shares.
"If the state wants to become a XNUMX% owner of the Institute and sees it as a way to solve the problem, I am ready to sell my share to the state at the same prices that were low for the state four years ago," said Rakčević at the meeting.
"Vila Oliva" acquired this package by buying in 2018 shares that were in the possession of the Government of Serbia, and then a few more percent on several occasions on the Montenegro Stock Exchange. In total, all those actions cost about 3,5 million euros, and Rakčević also said that if inflation and devaluation of money were calculated on that amount in five years, a fair offer of five million euros would be reached again.
Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanović announced at the last session of the Government that next week a contract could be signed between the Deposit Insurance Agency of Serbia, Jugobanka in bankruptcy and the "Simo Milošević" Institute in Igalo. The government approved that draft. The institute lost the dispute with the Deposit Insurance Agency, which represented Jugobanka in bankruptcy, and has to repay the disputed 40-year loan, which, together with other costs, grew to around nine million euros. Because of this, this Agency blocked the Institute's account in the amount of 7,5 million euros in July this year, which was then withdrawn after Damjanović's conversation with representatives of the Government of Serbia.
The meeting was chaired by the Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, the Deputy Prime Minister was also present Vladimir Jokovic, ministers of economy, health and finance Goran Đurović, Dragoslav Šćekić, Aleksandar Damjanović, director of the Health Fund Vuk Kadic, representatives of the Institute, the Municipality of Herceg Novi and the Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro.
Bonus video:
