Skopje, 4 September 2023 (MIA) — The reports on the University Clinic for Radiotherapy and Oncology staff withholding cancer treatment from cancer patients and profiting on their desperation are appalling, according to President Stevo Pendarovski in a written statement on recent media allegations that clinic personnel were withholding life-saving medical care and reselling cancer drugs, which led the Public Prosecutor's Office to launch an investigation into the clinic's practices.

"Instead of providing full support and protection to people faced with the most difficult diagnosis, the health care system has clearly failed, not only losing the trust of these patients but also raising doubts about the quality of treatment for every future patient," President Pendarovski wrote.

He urged the legal authorities to complete the investigation quickly, efficiently and "without selectivity" and called for punishing those who will be found to have committed serious crimes against people's health.

Pendarovski added that the outrage of the public was fully justified in calling for peaceful protests to demand responsibility from those who had profited from cancer patients' suffering.

According to him, it is high time the authorities showed they were capable in practice, and not just on paper, to deal with organized crime and corruption and that they finally ended the culture of impunity for serious law violations.

"We will never be a true European society if we have protracted court proceedings and lack of personal accountability. For a healthy society, we need the rule of law in practice, not on paper," Pendarovski wrote. mr/