A syndicate of medical and dental practitioners in the Sarajevo Canton has started a general strike on Wednesday as the cantonal government, according to them, failed to obey the provisions of the collective agreement the two parties reached last year.

According to the collective agreement, the syndicate should hold talks with the cantonal government every three months in order to evaluate the increase of wage coefficient depending on the income of funds in the budget of the Sarajevo Canton Healthcare Institute. The syndicate claims the authorities do not respect this agreement.

“The Government ignored the collective agreement and we were forced to halt the work and start the general strike, to exercise the right entitled by law and constitution. The strike will be lasting until the Government fulfils the collective agreement,” said the head of the syndicate, Izet Hocko.

The doctors will provide only urgent patient care during the strike, and the general medical examination will not be performed.

The Government has to obey the collective agreement signed in November 2017, Hocko said.