Health minister unimpressed by calls to step down

Health Minister Tomica Milosavljević has stated that requests for his resignation represented “pure politicizing and fallacy“.

Izvor: Tanjug

Wednesday, 07.07.2010.

16:40

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Health Minister Tomica Milosavljevic has stated that requests for his resignation represented “pure politicizing and fallacy“. New calls for the minister, who has been in charge of Serbia's health sector for the better part of the last decade, came after the Oncology Institute managers and pharmaceutical companies' representatives were arrested on suspicion of giving and receiving bribes. Health minister unimpressed by calls to step down Milosavljevic reacted by saying in Belgrade today that the criticism he was receiving was "maybe a wish to obscure the essence, the combat against crime, by shifting the topic to a political field“. He also claimed that it was not his lack of a sense of responsibility that prevented him from stepping down, "but just the opposite". The minister described himself as someone who was responsible and determined to constantly fight against crime, but also against other anomalies. Milosavljevic further said that he “despises people prone to corruption and crime in any field“ and that he was doing everything to punish such persons. Milosavljevic added that he supported all actions of police and the prosecution, especially those regarding revelation of crimes in the health system and that he himself was in many ways contributing to that. The minister also pointed out that “nobody could ever find a single stain" when it came to him as a man, and a doctor". “It's ironic that some think that precisely because I advocate combat against corruption and crime, every time when such case is uncovered in the health system, that I should resign,“ said Milosavljevic. Last week, MPs of opposition SRS, NS and LDP parties called on the minister to resign. Ruling parties, however, concluded that it was "much more important for the state to combat crime and corruption in the right way than for the minister to resign", said reports. The City of Belgrade Health and Social Protection trade union has also urged upon Milosavljevic to step down. “We know that our call won't have an effect on him, but we still call upon him to resign and finally show his colleagues and entire Serbia that responsibility, honor and reputation come before holding office,“ the union said in a statement.

Health minister unimpressed by calls to step down

Milosavljević reacted by saying in Belgrade today that the criticism he was receiving was "maybe a wish to obscure the essence, the combat against crime, by shifting the topic to a political field“.

He also claimed that it was not his lack of a sense of responsibility that prevented him from stepping down, "but just the opposite". The minister described himself as someone who was responsible and determined to constantly fight against crime, but also against other anomalies.

Milosavljević further said that he “despises people prone to corruption and crime in any field“ and that he was doing everything to punish such persons.

Milosavljević added that he supported all actions of police and the prosecution, especially those regarding revelation of crimes in the health system and that he himself was in many ways contributing to that.

The minister also pointed out that “nobody could ever find a single stain" when it came to him as a man, and a doctor".

“It's ironic that some think that precisely because I advocate combat against corruption and crime, every time when such case is uncovered in the health system, that I should resign,“ said Milosavljević.

Last week, MPs of opposition SRS, NS and LDP parties called on the minister to resign.

Ruling parties, however, concluded that it was "much more important for the state to combat crime and corruption in the right way than for the minister to resign", said reports.

The City of Belgrade Health and Social Protection trade union has also urged upon Milosavljević to step down.

“We know that our call won't have an effect on him, but we still call upon him to resign and finally show his colleagues and entire Serbia that responsibility, honor and reputation come before holding office,“ the union said in a statement.

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