Deputies prematurely removed the manager of the health fund – Bulgaria
In less than half an hour, without enough debate and with 149 votes “for” (GERB, “We continue the change”, DPS, BSP and “Democratic Bulgaria”) and 26 “abstentions” (“Vazrazhdane” and two from “Democratic Bulgaria Bulgaria”) The National Assembly dismissed the manager of the National Health Fund, Petko Salchev. The reasons for his removal were the violation of the dialogue between the manager of the Health Fund and the Bulgarian Medical Union (BLS) and the systematic non-fulfillment of obligations.
The item for his removal was put on the agenda of the National Assembly as an emergency at the request of GERB, “We continue the change”, “Democratic Bulgaria” and “Bulgarian Rise”.
Only two of the proponents of the draft decision are included in the debate – Kostadin Angelov from GERB and Anton Tonev from “Continuing the Change”. Both emphasized that the people’s representatives should use something to “unblock the dialogue” with the BLS.
“We cannot influence the opinion of the BLS, which has repeatedly stated that it does not see its role in a negotiated and dialogic process. We are obliged to be active and make a decision,” Tonev said. His colleague Kostadin Angelov emphasizes that the decision is not related to any personal motive.
“Prof. Salchev is an outstanding professional, an established doctor and a good administrator. He should be a mediator in the dialogue between the BLS and the NHIF. We did everything possible to make this happen, but unfortunately this attempt was unsuccessful. , and this leads to a number of dangers for the Bulgarian citizens. The impossibility of such a dialogue risks the signing of the national framework agreement, which is about to be signed,” Kostadin Angelov added, after which he personally thanked Petko Salchev for his work so far.
BLS seeking the resignation of the manager of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Prof. Petko Salchev, as well as the chairman of the supervisory board Dr. Alexander Zlatanov already in November 2022. The reason given was a unilateral decision made by the Supervisory Board of the NHIF to distribute the expected remainder of the money voted by the Parliament for health care for 2022. Now patient organizations have joined the call, according to which “the manager of the National Health Insurance Fund Prof. Petko Salchev single-handedly and covertly decided how to spend funds from health contributions”.
Petkov Salchev was selected for manager of the Health Fund on March 13, 2020 at the proposal of the GERB parliamentary group and was the only candidate for the position.
After the speeches of Tonev and Kostadinov, Petko Salchev also took the floor, starting with the fact that apparently Friday the 13th is his lucky date. He denied the accusations against himself and stated that “all stated reasons for my early release have not been documented.”
“I do not accept that I did not fulfill my duties as the manager of the NHIF. There are two sides to a dialogue. demands his resignation. “A person makes mistakes when he works, but if I were to be accused of a systematic violation, I would not accept it. I am proud of what I have achieved and we will continue with our heads held high because I am leaving a working institution,” he concluded.
After his removal, in front of journalists on the sidelines of the parliament, Salchev hinted that it was this removal that was the goal of the BLS. He admitted that the reason for this was the position that was expressed in relation to proposals for changes in the National Framework Agreement of the BLS.
“Then I asked a simple question – whether the governor, by proposing this national framework contract, violates the rights of health insured persons. NHOC is not an institution that belongs to the doctors, but to the health insured persons and the manager must protect their interests”, said Salchev and added that for two years he was pressured to allocate more money to the doctors.
Expect details later on www.dnevnik.bg.