"Matei Bals" fire/ Twenty NGOs make a call to decency and transparency

A number of 20 NGOs sent a "Call for Decency and Transparency" to the Government and subordinate institutions, investigative bodies, the College of Physicians and political leaders from the ruling coalition and the opposition, in the context of the fire at the "Matei Bals" Hospital.

"Just a few months after the tragedy in Piatra Neamt, a new fire kills people in a hospital in Romania. Despite the recurrence of these disasters in the institutions of the public health system, from the Giulesti Maternity Hospital to the Matei Bals Institute, the reaction of the authorities, no matter the political party, is the same. The civil society demands transparency in the investigation of this tragedy and in taking the necessary urgent measures to prevent its recurrence. It is clear that the way in which the authorities have acted so far does not work. The activity of the authorities so far has NOT been likely to bring the necessary results so that patients, their families and Romanian citizens, in general, feel safe and benefit from a proper medical act within the institutions financed from public money," the document reads.

The signatories request that the results of the investigation from the fire at the Piatra Neamt Hospital be made public, along with the measures taken and the stage of their implementation in the other health units treating COVID patients nationwide, including the "Matei Bals" Institute.

The civil society representatives note that the language and tone used in communication "must be in accordance with the duties and responsibilities associated" with the public office of the speaker.

At the same time, the signatories demand the urgent finding of solutions to guarantee "competent management, without political appointments, through competition and with the limitation of the interim period and of the number of possible terms in office," as well as efficient spending of public money in all institutions in the health system.

The document was posted on the Facebook pages of Geeks For Democracy, #REZISTENTA, Asociatia VeDem Just, Voci pentru Democratie si Justitie, Initiativa Romania, Coruptia ucide, Asociatia Platforma Romania 100, Asociatia Daruieste Viata.