site.btaGERB, Reformist Bloc Want Government to Adopt National Health Map in March

GERB, Reformist Bloc Want Government to Adopt National Health Map in March

Sofia, February 11 (BTA) - The government has until the end of March to adopt the National Health Map, according to a draft memorandum between GERB and the Reformist Bloc. After a new round of negotiations on Thursday, their working groups told the media they were very close to reaching understanding on the individual areas of government and would most likely sign the memorandum next week.

GERB Deputy Floor Leader Tsveta Karayancheva said the memorandum focused on several areas in need of urgent reforms: health care, education, foreign policy, administration, the economy and the energy sector. The line ministers will report their performance on the scheduled tasks regularly.

If the cabinet does not adopt the National Health Map in March as planned in the memorandum, "the Health Minister himself will be 'sentenced' to being an ordinary patient in his own system for five years," said Daniel Vulchev of the Bulgaria for the Citizens Movement.

Regarding amendments to the Election Code, he said that GERB and the Reformist Bloc still differ on voting preferences but they can each make a final political decision over the weekend. While the Reformist Bloc wants the voting preference and its threshold to be preserved, GERB seems to be in favour of a higher threshold for local elections.

Karayancheva said the sides had agreed that the amendments to the Election Code should be passed by the end of May.

Asked if the memorandum will be signed at any cost or this may not happen if the sides fail to agree on an important point, Vulchev commented that anything was possible but they were making an effort to reach understanding.