According to data from the Fides trade union approximately 5,000 doctors joined the strike. The strike demands include confirmation of standards and norms regulating the work of doctors, and the increase of doctor salaries to three-fold the general average in Slovenia.

The Health Minister Milojka Kolar Celarc repeated that the strike was legitimate, but unjustified. She claims that the government is fulfilling the agreements made with doctors. Thus the strike will not be paid. The Minister also refused any responsibility for the inconveniences patients might have experienced as the consequence of the strike. She claims the responsibility must be taken by Fides

Boris Koprivnikar, Minister of Public Administration, explained that the legal provision determines that a strike is unpaid in cases where it is not the consequence of violation of a collective agreement, or violation of any other act by the government. Both ministers regret the strike, and they are sure it is not to the advantage of patients, nor to the advantage of doctors and other medical workers.

Koprivnikar said that the salaries are being discussed, and also standards and norms. The fact is that doctors are not on strike in order to gain their rights, but they are using the strike as a means of pressure to achieve the Union goals. He sees no reason for the government to yield to pressure from the Unions. He claims that the Ministry of Health will prepare the standards which will be usable, and coordinated with other occupational groups, while the discussions regarding the changes and improvements within the wage system are continuing. Koprivnikar labelled the requests made by Fides as very unsystematic, and unfinished, but they agree to talk about them.

Some patients never noticed the strike
In spite of the strike the doctors treated all the urgent cases, i.e. children and people aged over 65, pregnant women, birthing mothers, and cancer patients. The mentioned patients are all considered urgent cases, or their illness is characterised as such that omission of treatment might quickly lead to irreparable damage to health, or death.

T. H.,B V.
Translated by G. K.