site.btaUPDATED Health Minister: I Will Not Allow Children's Hospital to Be Held Hostage to Political Calculations

"I am adamant that I will not allow the Children's Hospital to be held hostage to political calculations, intrigues, and other actions. There is an attempt at open manipulation; it is a lie that we are building a golden hospital for BGN 1 billion instead of BGN 100 million," Health Minister Silvi Kirilov told a briefing on Sunday on the project for the construction of the National Multidisciplinary Children's Hospital.

The construction of a National Multidisciplinary Children's Hospital is a national priority, the goal is to create a medical facility that meets all international standards in child health care, he said. For me as a doctor, it is extremely unfortunate that this key project is becoming a tool of political warfare, the minister added.

Announcing the topics for a vote of no confidence, Continue the Change leader Assen Vassilev showed journalists a document on Saturday which he said was a request from the Minister of Health to the Minister of Finance to include almost BGN 1 billion in the budget for the new children's hospital over the next three years.

This is a forecast value, and this forecast value is not mine; it has been prepared by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the international consortium IDOM, Kirilov explained. This is an independent expert assessment and it amounts to EUR 382 million excluding VAT, which includes absolutely everything - from construction to furnishings, he added.

The implementation of this project cannot be called into question every time the political agenda changes, the minister was adamant. He admitted that it seems that "someone wants to steal some money." I have presented the Ministry of Finance with a forecast prepared by international experts, he said. 

Desislava Malinova, director of the Health Investment Company for the Children's Hospital, said that the grant agreement with the EIB was concluded at the time of "those who are currently questioning the data. The project is at the market research stage, she explained. Allegations of inflated prices and secret agreements are dangerous and undermine confidence in the project, Malinova also said. She assured that every process will be publicly announced and there will be no backroom deals. She added that she also believes that the project is under attack based not on facts but on manipulation.