A scandalous public procurement for medical equipment for 512,000 euros for the Fifth City Hospital was suspended after the intervention of the chairman of Save Sofia, Boris Bonev. According to the municipal councilor, the procedure was announced without the necessary approval of the Sofia Municipal Council, and the criteria set created prerequisites for favoring a specific company.
„Last week I found out that the Fifth City Hospital is preparing to purchase extremely expensive medical equipment, the necessity of which is debatable, without the approval of the Municipal Council. Even more worrying is that the terms of the contract seem to be tailored to the capabilities of one specific supplier“, said Boris Bonev.
Bonev has requested an extraordinary meeting of the Sofia Municipal Council's Health Commission, at which the hospital director should provide explanations for his actions. Just an hour after the request was approved and the meeting was convened, the public procurement was terminated.
Despite the termination of the procedure, Bonev is adamant that the hearing must be held. He will insist that the management of the medical facility explain why the procedure was launched without the necessary approval, how the need to purchase the medical equipment is justified and why the participation criteria create doubts about a previously determined contractor.
“The termination of the contract does not cancel the need for answers. We are talking about over half a million euros of public funds that must be spent legally, transparently and in the interest of patients. "I will insist that we understand who made these decisions and on what basis," the chairman of Save Sofia emphasized.