Debate Emerge Over Vili Beroš’s Surgical Return

The news in Croatian

1. bivši
   koji je nekada imao određeni status, ali ga više nema ↩︎
2. ministar  (m.)
   osoba koja vodi ministarstvo i sudjeluje u radu vlade ↩︎
3. optužba  (f.)
   izjava ili tvrdnja kojom se nekoga tereti za nešto nezakonito ili loše ↩︎
4. korupcija  (f.)
   zloporaba javne dužnosti za osobnu korist ↩︎
5. rasprava  (f.)
   živa i argumentirana razmjena mišljenja o nekoj temi ↩︎
6. uspješan
   sa zadovoljavajućim ishodom ili rezultatom ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What job does Vili Beroš return to doing?

Question 2: Why did Vili Beroš leave his ministerial position?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
bivši	former
ministar  (m.)	minister
optužba  (f.)	accusation
korupcija  (f.)	corruption
rasprava  (f.)	discussion
uspješan	successful

Read the full story

The recent decision of Vili Beroš, former Croatian Minister of Health, to return to his prior role as a neurosurgeon has sparked extensive discussion across Croatia. Beroš, who stepped down due to allegations of accepting a €75,000 bribe, intends to resume his medical career at the Sisters of Charity Hospital in Zagreb, after nearly seven years without performing surgery.

In November last year, Beroš was detained under suspicion of being involved in a corruption scandal known as the “Microscope Affair,” which allegedly defrauded the Croatian state budget of €740,000 through manipulated procurements of medical equipment. Following his removal as minister, he opted for a six-month ministerial salary, with half pay for an additional six months, instead of returning immediately to hospital work or activating his parliamentary mandate.

The announcement of Beroš’s return to neurosurgery, despite the ongoing legal proceedings, has been met with mixed reactions. Some colleagues express concern about whether someone with such a significant gap in practice can effectively manage the intricate and high-stakes nature of neurosurgery. This sentiment was echoed by the president of the Croatian Hospital Doctors Association, Ivana Šmit, who criticised the comparison of surgical skills maintenance to driving a car, a metaphor used by both Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Health Minister Irena Hrstić to downplay concerns.

Prime Minister Plenković defended Beroš, suggesting that skills in medicine, like driving, are not easily forgotten over time: “Do you think he forgot? Have you forgotten how to drive a car?” Similarly, Hrstić reinforced this view by asserting that expertise, when practiced with dedication and knowledge, is retained.

The Croatian public has been invited to voice their opinions on social media platforms, such as Facebook, about whether they would trust a surgeon who has not operated for seven years. Various responses are to be broadcasted as part of the news on RTL Today.

This debate underscores broader questions about the balance between competency and experience, especially in fields that involve high stakes and precision. As Beroš prepares to return to the operating theatre, the controversy not only reflects public scrutiny of medical standards but also raises the issue of trust in professionals resuming their roles after a significant hiatus.

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