(Podgorica, September 11, 2013.) – Today MANS submitted the initiative to Parliamentary Committee on health, work, and social welfare, which requested the Committee to convene the session with a control hearing with a purpose to determine responsibility of leading people from regional and state authorities for the epidemic of gastroenteritis virus.
Namely, in the municipality of Berane the gastroenteritis virus epidemic has developed in the end of August, of which is affected more than 1.400 citizens in this municipality. As it was determined by the Institute of public health, the core of this virus are the bacteria of fecal origin, that have been found in water samples. However, no one gave a clear explanation how the bacteria matured in a drinking water supply system in this municipality. According to the media, it is suggested that the epidemic was caused by the company “Bemax” from Podgorica, while performing jobs, the same company, already 11 times punctured water pipes. In the particular example, it is evident that the citizens were left unprotected, because the problem with water were not eliminated and more than 1.400 people requested medical assistance. In addition, in a documentation about the gastroenteritis virus epidemic in this municipality, which was discussed on the Government s session that was held on September 5th 2013 were not defined measures to figure out the responsibility, which is a reason to initiate control hearing and determine the responsibility of the heads of the municipal and state authorities responsible for this issue.
We believe that about this issue was not done enough to prevent the epidemic on time, as well the authorities failed to provide timely response. Because of that reason on the control hearing it is necessary to invite the minister of health, Miodrag Radunovic, who did not take all precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic. Moreover, the president of Berane, Vuk Golubovic, recognized his role and repeatedly called out ministers for failure to act, and this is another reason why minister Radunovic should be present on the hearing.
In addition to Radunovic, it is necessary to maintain control hearing the minister of agriculture and rural development, Petar Ivanovic, as the first man of the ministry whose responsible is the water sector, as well as director of the Institute of public health, Boban Mugoša, whose institution carried out the analysis of water samples, in order to collect additional information.
Regarding this case, on the control hearing it is necessary to invite the president of Berane, Vuk Golubovic, to examine whether he took, in accordance with the responsibilities he has, all measures against the spread of the epidemic.
A few days earlier before the cause of the epidemic was determined, director of Water supply Berane, Faruk Pacariz, said “I do not believe that water is the cause of the epidemic”. As a director of this company it is obvious that he did not take all necessary steps to stop spred of the epidemic, and for that reason he should also be invited on the control hearing.
Also, on the control hearing it is important to be invited the director of Directorate of transport, Ermin Adrović, as a representative of those who requested the job, for which the entire municipality was exposed to the danger. The Directorate gave the explanation that the company “Bemax” was not in possession of the necessary documentation of underground installations, which should be available from Berane Water supply system, making it necessary to have a control examination of representatives of both institutions.
It is unbelievable that the authorities and institutions did not on time informed citizens of Berane about the harmful effect of drinking water, as well failed to take timely measures to curb the epidemic and protect citizens. In the end, it is unacceptable that still is not determined the actual responsibility of causing general danger, making it necessary to held a Committee session with a control hearing, to finally move things forward, and instead of blaming the individual citizens in some villages in Berane, to determine who are the real culprits in the state and municipal authorities responsible for the epidemic development.
Please find attached the initiative and the information on the emergence of an epidemic of stomach trouble in Berane.
MANS
