RON 10 bn budget adjustment needed for health care system, revenues under great pressure (PM)

An additional RON 10 billion adjustment is necessary for the health care system, Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan said on Monday, pointing out that under the current circumstances, this amount represents "a great pressure" on the state budget.

"This year's budget allocation is RON 77 billion, which our colleagues asked us to supplement, so that, on the one hand, we can bring the outstanding invoices to date - because since March we have no longer had the financial capacity to settle the amounts in full - and also so that we can function until the end of the year. For this, we need at least RON 10 billion more at the budget adjustment, which, under the current circumstances, puts great pressure on the state budget," Bolojan told a press conference at the Victoria Palace, held together with Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete.

The prime minister mentioned that the health system has piled up "big problems" in recent years, and one of the aspects that affects its proper functioning is the accelerated growth of expenses.

"With the existing budget revenues, we can no longer sustain this increase in the coming years. The expenses covered through the National Health Office have reached 16% of the current state budget revenues, compared to approximately 11%, in the previous years. In the past, we only reached this share during the pandemic. Consequently, there is strong pressure on the budget to cover these expenses," the prime minister explained.