At today's meeting with the Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, and the Minister of Health, Dr Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, the Ombudsman, Peter Svetina, called for solutions to be found as soon as possible, as the longest medical strike in Slovenia's history is causing agony for many patients and their relatives, and is already seriously threatening the healthcare system. The absence of solutions is a defeat for all parties, but the vulnerable groups and the socially disadvantaged are the ones who feel the muscle flexing the most. "The current status quo is causing chaos with irreversible consequences for many people's health. Public health is a fundamental common good, but years of accumulated problems and failure to address them have brought it virtually to its knees. Weeks of inability to converge have led to further backlogs and even longer waiting times. I expect that reason and wisdom will prevail and that, after two months, an agreement will nevertheless be reached. Slovenia is a welfare state, which means that the state must ensure that the conditions are in place for public health care to function in such a way that people who pay for health insurance receive quality treatment and other health services in a timely manner. That is why it is not enough to end the strike, but a reform of the healthcare system is necessary, which must put the needs of the patient at the centre of the system," said Ombudsman Peter Svetina.

He added that he was pleased that URI Soča would start medical examinations for disabled drivers next week, also thanks to the insistence of the Ombudsman, but that it was urgent that the Government draft amendments to the Medical Service Act as soon as possible, which would ensure that disabled people would receive all medical services during the strike, as it already does for children up to the age of 18, patients over the age of 65 and pregnant women. He also reiterated his hope that common sense solutions would prevail in the future for the benefit of patients. "People must be able to see a doctor when they need one and many doctors, in many healthcare institutions, despite this challenging period, together with other healthcare staff, are shining examples of cooperation for the benefit of patients and proof that it can be done when the will is there," stressed Ombudsman Peter Svetina.