The objection of unconstitutionality submitted by SYRIZA and PASOK against the article of the Ministry of Health “Strengthening of public health structures by private providers and private doctors to address needs that can endanger public health – Authorizing provision – Amendment of article” 56 and replacement of par. 11 of article 71 of Law 4931/2022″. The article in question (section 65) has been included in the “completion of psychiatric reform” bill. The objection was voted against by the parliamentarians of the coalition.

The specific article states that “private doctors who are employed in any employment relationship in Health Units that are contracted to the National Organization for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY) or are themselves contracted to the EOPYY, undertake through the above contracts the obligation to offer health services to address needs that may endanger public health, if requested and only for the absolutely necessary time. The provision of these services is done on a part-time basis, since the announcements to fill the positions have been fruitless, the expression of interest of private doctors to fill the vacant positions has been fruitless”. It also stipulates that “if private providers or private doctors contracted with EOPYY refuse to provide services, their contract with EOPYY is terminated. In addition, private doctors who refuse to provide services pursuant to the above paragraphs, whether they are contracted with EOPYY or not, are denied access to the Electronic Prescription System (ESIS) of the anonymous company with the name “Electronic Social Security Administration” ( IDIKA SA)”.

“You of SYRIZA, PASOK, the New Left, Plefsis Eleftherias, KKE, say that if there is no other solution, and if the proclamations have come out barren, private doctors should not go to support the system. We of the New Democracy vote if all conditions have been exhausted and no other solution has been found, then in this case, as the Constitution stipulates, the private work of exercising free work recedes, for a limited time, and under specific conditions, to the higher good of universal access to public health, for each of our fellow citizens”, said Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and added: “We here in New Democracy, as a genuine popular faction of this place, are the only faction that defends our last poor fellow citizen, against all of you hypocrites of the left who finally come here today and defend private interests! ».

The article is constitutional, it refers to extraordinary circumstances, it will be valid for a limited time, it respects the principle of proportionality, said the Minister of Health and emphasized: “But we are not constitutionalists here. We are MPs. And me in my political journey, Mr. Nikitiadis (pasok member of parliament), since I am talking about Kos, let the world know that Mr. Nikitiadis, for example, leaves the residents of Kos without a doctor! This is what he prefers with today’s vote! Nikitiadis, the resident of the island of Kos, prefers not to find a doctor than not to oppose Georgiadis. He is such a great politician.”

Earlier, the parliamentary representative of PASOK Dimitris Manzos, developing his party’s objection of unconstitutionality, said that the article introduced by the government impinges on freedom of contract (Article 5 of the Constitution) and is inconsistent with the right of patients to choose their doctor, in the context of the protection of autonomy and protection of human value (Article 2 of the Constitution) and the operation of the Social Security system (Article 22 of the Constitution). He also said that depriving doctors of the electronic prescription system does not affect the doctors so much, but affects the patients for whom this system exists.

SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative Theofilos Xanthopoulos, said that the understaffing of the NHS, which is an ongoing issue, is an alibi for the government to introduce an additional barrier. He also said that the sanction for banning the access of private doctors to the electronic prescription system has an essential recipient, the citizen who will not be able to receive this service.

THE ND parliamentary representative Thanos Pleuris accused the opposition of hypocrisy. “During the pandemic, your proposal was a demand for private doctors, without being paid. You told the government that it is giving a gift to the clinics and private doctors that it gives them a demand and you asked for a demand and without payment. And today you come to call unconstitutional a measure that the State withdraws from the right to demand and in absolutely extraordinary circumstances, comes with a very specific context to call on them to support the system”, said Thanos Pleuris.

THE parliamentary representative of the “Spartans” Ioannis Kontis, said his party would support the unconstitutionality challenge. He wondered, however, clarifying that this is his personal position, why should the parties with the interest of private doctors be drawn up today.

THE president of Freedom of Navigation Zoi Konstantopoulou accused the government of trying today to hide its own responsibilities for the situation in the NHS. “Citizens who live their daily lives in hospitals, as patients, as relatives of patients, nurses, doctors, auxiliary and other staff, know very well that the abandonment of public health is not the fault of some private doctors, who want to order them,” said the president of Freedom of Navigation and added that the right to order does not concern the general discretion of the state for forced labor. The requisition is acted upon when it comes to theomen and emergency situations, Ms. Konstantopoulou said.

THE Nikos Vrettos, parliamentary representative of “Niki”.said the government continues to restrict citizens’ constitutional rights and that the objections of unconstitutionality are both valid and substantial.

THE parliamentary representative of the New Left Nasos Iliopoulos he said the government is misconstruing the right of subpoena. “Here we are talking about permanent and lasting needs. You know that they are permanent and permanent needs and you christen them “emergency public health risks”. What is traditionally a danger to public health, are the policies of the New Democracy,” said Mr. Iliopoulos.

THE parliamentary representative of the Hellenic Solution Konstantinos Boubassaid that clearly the government aims to privatize health.

THE KKE parliamentary representative Thanasis Pafilis, denounced the strategy of privatization served by all the parties that governed. “It’s EU policy and that’s why you don’t talk,” said the parliamentary representative of the KKE.