Serbian Health Minister Zoran Stankovic stated that institutions in Kosovo are legitimate institutions of the Republic of Serbia, which means that Kosovo healthcare centres are also an integral part of the Serbian healthcare system.

In a statement for Tanjug, Stankovic said that there are no conditions for abolishing parallel institutions in northern Kosovo-Metohija, and warned that this could jeopardise the ability for providing healthcare protection to the population living in enclaves and endanger the position of healthcare employees.

Abolishing healthcare protection or the funds for providing healthcare services to people in enclaves would be dangerous because then many citizens would not even ask for medical assistance, Stankovic said and added that this would increase the risk of adverse effects on people's health.

He noted that the population in enclaves has no freedom of movement and is facing violence, house arson and poor living conditions, which is why it is difficult to even talk about the justifiability of abolishing parallel institutions.

Stankovic recalled that the Serbian Institute for Health Insurance is paying its employees in Kosovo and is also funding the procurement of medicines and all the materials necessary for the functioning of healthcare institutions.

According to the data of the Serbian Health Ministry, a total of 23 primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare centres in Kosovo-Metohija employ 6.590 people who are listed on the payroll of the Republic of Serbia.