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| Screenshot of Vladimir Karaj while being interviewed by Euronews Albania |
The investigative journalist in an interview for Euronews Albania said that the four private laboratories that are licensed by the Albanian government to conduct tests for administrative purposes have violated the competition law with the agreement to set the same price for this service.
"It is a medical service and these are regulated by law and there should be an intervention and investigation to understand what is happening. There is a lack of transparency from the Government and the Ministry of Health as these are institutions licensed by the Albanian government, it is not a free market. Of course, it is not normal and what has happened indicates a market regulated by agreement by the operators themselves. The Competition Authority must open at least one investigation procedure", said Mr. Karaj.
In addition to the lack of transparency, the BIRN journalist points out that with this behavior the government and the Ministry of Health have removed from themselves the obligation to conduct diagnostic tests for citizens in pandemic times as defined by law.
Mr. Karaj says Albanian citizens have been forced to pay for tests, scanners, resonances, and tests in pandemic times at a time when these services had to be covered by the state and free for all.
"What is worrying, is the fact that citizens are paying for these tests while there is a pandemic law that obliges the state to cover the costs of diagnosis. This is an extra burden on Albanians. Citizens are paying out of pocket while there is a law on pandemic management that obliges the government to cover these expenses", said the journalist.
Vladimir Karaj says he has asked the Ministry of Health for information on the number of tests performed by private laboratories but has not been given an accurate figure. The Ministry is satisfied with the fact that "private tests occupy 40% of the tests that have been performed so far".
Based on the data that the journalist himself has managed to collect in state and private institutions, he has made an estimate of the total cost of buffers during the pandemic period and according to Mr. Karaj is about a figure of 6.5 or 7 million euros.
He says private laboratories are actually licensed to perform only administrative tests (as required to cross the border) but the data show that many citizens have performed diagnostic tests. Private institutions themselves are justified by the fact that they can not distinguish when a citizen requests an administrative or diagnostic test.