Irena Hrstić Proposed as Croatia’s New Health Minister

The news in Croatian

1. kandidatkinja (f.)
   Osoba koja se natječe za neku poziciju ili nagradu. ↩︎
2. ministrica (f.)
   Osoba koja upravlja određenim ministarstvom u vladi. ↩︎
3. uhititi
   Kada policija nekoga privede zbog sumnje na počinjenje kaznenog djela. ↩︎
4. primanje (n.)
   Čin ili proces dobivanja nečega, kao na primjer novca. ↩︎
5. mito (n.)
   Novac ili darovi dati kako bi se utjecalo na nečiju odluku. ↩︎
6. parlament (m.)
   Skupština izabranih članova koji donose zakone i odluke u zemlji. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Who supports Irena Hrstić as the new Health Minister?

Question: What is one of the problems Irena Hrstić wants to work on if confirmed?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
kandidatkinja (f.)	candidate
ministrica (f.)	minister
uhititi	arrest
primanje (n.)	receipt
mito (n.)	bribe
parlament (m.)	parliament

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Prime Minister Andrej Plenković presented Hrstić to the Parliamentary Health and Social Policy Committee, where she received initial approval. Her formal confirmation requires a majority vote from at least 76 members of the Croatian Parliament, expected to take place during a session scheduled for December 6th.

During Hrstić’s presentation hearing, tensions flared between Plenković and members of the opposition, particularly Nikola Grmoja from the Most Party, who accused the Prime Minister of leading a network of corruption within the government. Grmoja’s bold statements caused commotion, leading to interruptions and intervention by the committee chair, Ivana Kekin.

Hrstić, previously a state secretary and a medical professional with a background in gastroenterology, took the opportunity to address concerns about the state of Croatian healthcare. She acknowledged existing challenges and the need for reforms but emphasised her commitment to enhancing healthcare quality and transparency. “The system has to reflect current times,” she stated, underlining her plan to address issues like long wait times and the balance between public and private healthcare services.

The discussions also spotlighted systemic issues raised by opposition members, such as the controversial outsourcing of public healthcare services to private sectors and the efficiency of recent healthcare expenditures. Ivana Kekin queried Hrstić regarding her stance on revising Croatia’s outdated abortion law and ensuring equitable access to services.

Plenković defended the nomination, citing Hrstić’s qualifications and experience managing the Pula General Hospital. He underscored her capability to implement overdue reforms and restore public confidence in the healthcare system. He added that her role would be supported by the majority in the parliament, indicating confidence in her ability to carry out her duties with integrity.

While some citizens remain sceptical, with only a minority anticipating positive changes under Hrstić’s leadership, her confirmation as minister could signal a potential turning point for an embattled healthcare system needing urgent reform and transparency.

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