Možemo! Party Alleges Corruption in Medikol Hospital Deal, Vows Future Investigation

Ivana Kekin, a parliamentary representative for the Možemo! party and chair of the parliamentary Health Committee, has submitted documentation to the State Attorney's Office concerning the private company Medikol's presence within KBC Rijeka hospital. She alleges illegal and non-transparent practices in the arrangement.

Kekin highlighted that Medikol entered the public hospital's premises in 2009 without a public tender, which she asserts is against the law. Furthermore, she claims Medikol failed to pay utility costs for many years, despite contractual obligations. The situation allegedly escalated when the then-hospital director, who is now a minister, Alen Ružić, arranged for Medikol's supposed investments in the hospital, an action Kekin states lacks legal basis. This led to a situation where the hospital, instead of receiving payments for utilities, reportedly owed Medikol money.

Kekin pointed to missing documents as central to the case. She recalled that KBC Rijeka had sought a PET/CT scanner in 2009, but the head of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund at the time, Strizrep, allegedly refused the request, citing cooperation with Medikol. Strizrep reportedly based this decision on a non-existent contract between Medikol and the state.

When questioned about the likelihood of the State Attorney's Office taking action, Kekin expressed skepticism, stating she has little faith in the current leadership. She believes that investigative bodies should have already acted based on media reports. Despite her reservations, Kekin stated that her party is fulfilling its obligation by pursuing the matter. She noted that the government refused to provide the contract, and the majority in parliament rejected the formation of an investigative committee. Kekin pledged that if no action is taken through the judicial branch, her party will establish an investigative committee and appoint state attorneys focused on the Medikol case once they are in power in two years.

Regarding the involvement of SDP, a coalition partner, Kekin acknowledged that the first PET/CT scanner for a public hospital was acquired during an SDP-led government. However, she emphasized that the current focus is on the alleged wrongdoing that occurred later.