Socialists, Movement for Rights and Freedoms Refer Health Insurance Act Revisions to Constitutional Court

Sofia, July 10 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) are appealing revisions to the Health Insurance Act before the Constitutional Court, MPs from the two parliamentary groups said at a news conference at Parliament Friday.

The appeal has been signed by over 60 MPs of BSP Left Bulgaria, MRF, ABV, the Bulgarian Democratic Centre and independent MPs.

Two provisions are being appealed - Section 10, relevant to the division of the package into a main and an additional one; as well as the privilege the state is creating for itself to continue not to pay contributions for the groups of people it insures, BSP MP Emil Rainov explained.

Rainov said that after the revisions were passed they sent a letter to the President, requesting him to impose a veto and thus prove he is concerned for the health of all Bulgarians. "Just as we suspected, he was not and the law was promulgated in the 'State Gazette', which is why we have resorted to the next step we have as an opposition - we began collecting signatures to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court," the MP commented.

MRF MP Dzhevdet Chakurov said the texts in question are discriminating. On the basis of illnesses and diagnoses, all of us who pay their health insurance contributions will have different access to medical aid, he noted. The next step, which is being considered, is to refer the matter to the Commission for Protection from Discrimination.