Health Minister Miodrag Radunović told "Vijesta" that the ministry is aware of several reports accusing the staff of the General Hospital in Kotor of corruption.
The reports, he said, came mainly through the toll-free number for reporting corruption 0800 81 444.
"The last one was uttered in a radio show, just before the New Year, when a listener openly said that in that institution they ask for 20 euros for a good day," he said.
Radunović said that the Department for Quality Control and Improvement at the Ministry, which processes reports to the competent state authorities, is aware of these and other, increasingly frequent reports.
Dara exceeded the measure
The minister could not answer whether, to whom and when the application was forwarded, and announced that he would provide such information to the public after the holidays, as he was not in Podgorica yesterday.
"Dara overstepped the mark and someone should be held accountable for that," Radunović said, adding that it was not an attack on any individual, but a fight against corruption and the provision of quality health care. He said that he will deal with that issue after the holidays.
Minister Radunović told "Vijesta" that among other numerous reports there is also a report from the employees of the Kotor hospital about this phenomenon, which was forwarded to the management of the General Hospital in Kotor.
Surprised...
The President of the Medical Chamber of Montenegro, Đoko Jočić, told "Vijesta" that they had not received any reports of corruption involving the doctors of the Kotor hospital.
"I am surprised that the citizens did not contact us, because corruption is a drastic violation of the Code of Medical Ethics and Deontology, and the Chamber is the body that monitors its compliance," said Dr. Jočić.
He said that he expects to receive more detailed information from the Ministry of Health as early as Monday.
The Anticorruption Administration did not have any information about those applications either. The official of that administration told "Vijesti" that they do not have information in the records that they forwarded the report for corruption in that hospital to the competent authorities.
According to the knowledge of "Vijesti", the prosecutor's office and the police did not launch an investigation into the alleged corruption in the Kotor hospital.
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