ON
← Back to feed
More than 1,500 parents are asking the government to prevent the closure of speech therapists' offices.
Croatia🏛️ PoliticsProgressive2 hr. ago

More than 1,500 parents are asking the government to prevent the closure of speech therapists' offices.

Over 1,500 parents of children receiving speech therapy have sent letters to President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and Health Minister Irena Hrastic urging them to prevent the closure of private speech therapy clinics. The closures are threatened due to new minimum technical requirements introduced by the Law on Speech Therapy Activities, which many private practices currently fail to meet. According to a survey by the Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Logopedists (HALP), 85 percent of private practices do not comply with the new standards, and 40 percent intend to cease operations permanently if conditions remain unchanged. This could result in at least 7,000 users, predominantly children, losing access to therapy before the compliance deadline of July 2027. Parents argue that these technical specifications, such as ceiling height or square footage, are disproportionate barriers that disrupt ongoing treatment. They are requesting a review of the regulations, realistic adaptation deadlines, or a concrete government plan to ensure continuous care for affected patients.

5 reports

Slobodna Dalmacija logoSlobodna DalmacijaIndependentCenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 852 days ago
Director Dr. Marijo Bekić on the monthly limit: Seven departments have exceeded the consumption of drugs, and as for specialization...

The general hospital in Dubrovnik will need to become more economical with medicines and medical supplies due to a monthly spending cap imposed by the Ministry of Health. The limit is set at 1.4 million euros for purchasing drugs and consumable medical materials. Any expenditure exceeding this threshold will require special approval. Dr. Marijo Bekić, the director of the hospital, mentioned that seven departments have already exceeded their medication consumption limits, raising concerns about potential shortages or restrictions in specialized care.

Bias read (Center): The article reports on a policy decision made by the Ministry of Health regarding budget constraints at a public hospital. It presents factual information without overtly favoring any political side, focusing on administrative measures rather than ideological debate. The tone remains neutral, simply

Why factuality: no official source document/info detected

Why objectivity (85): The article presents the information in a relatively neutral manner, quoting a hospital director and explaining the policy change without overt bias. However, the use of phrases such as 'štedljivo s lijekovima' may imply a value judgment about resource allocation.

Slobodna Dalmacija logoSlobodna DalmacijaIndependentProgressive2 hr. ago
Angry parents write to Plenkovic: "Stop it, it's about the children!"; letter sent to Milanovic and Minister Hrstic

Over 1,500 parents of children receiving speech therapy have sent letters to President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and Health Minister Irena Hrastic, urging them to prevent the closure of private practices due to new technical requirements. The letters were submitted via the Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Speech Therapists (HALP), which reported that 85 percent of private practices currently fail to meet the standards mandated by the Law on Speech Therapy Activities. Parents argue that closing these offices would leave at least 7,000 patients, mostly children, without timely care, noting that many rely on private clinics because public services cannot provide immediate appointments. They request that the government reconsider the disputed minimum conditions, such as ceiling height and square footage, and establish realistic adaptation deadlines before the July 2027 compliance deadline. In response to a meeting held on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health has asked HALP and the Croatian Society of Speech Therapists to agree on a joint proposal for amendments.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue through the perspective of affected citizens and professional associations challenging state regulations. It emphasizes the potential harm to vulnerable groups (children) caused by bureaucratic mandates and highlights perceived inconsistencies within the Ministry of the.

Novi list logoNovi listIndependentProgressive3 hr. ago
More than 1,500 parents are asking the government to prevent the closure of speech therapists' offices.

Over 1,500 parents of children receiving speech therapy have sent letters to President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and Health Minister Irena Hrastic urging them to prevent the closure of private speech therapy clinics. The closures are threatened due to new minimum technical requirements introduced by the Law on Speech Therapy Activities, which many private practices currently fail to meet. According to a survey by the Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Logopedists (HALP), 85 percent of private practices do not comply with the new standards, and 40 percent intend to cease operations permanently if conditions remain unchanged. This could result in at least 7,000 users, predominantly children, losing access to therapy before the compliance deadline of July 2027. Parents argue that these technical specifications, such as ceiling height or square footage, are disproportionate barriers that disrupt ongoing treatment. They are requesting a review of the regulations, realistic adaptation deadlines, or a concrete government plan to ensure continuous care for affected patients.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the issue through the perspective of parents and professional associations challenging state-imposed regulatory burdens. It highlights the negative social impact of government policy on vulnerable groups (children) and criticizes the Ministry of Health for inconsistent messaging.

HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija) logoHRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija)State / PublicProgressive3 hr. ago
Appeal to the State Council: Thousands of children could be left without speech therapy

Over 1,500 parents of children receiving speech therapy have sent letters to President Zoran Milanovic, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, and Health Minister Irena Hrastic, urging them to prevent the closure of private practices due to new technical requirements. The Croatian Association of Entrepreneurial Speech Therapists reports that 85% of private practices currently fail to meet these standards, which could result in at least 7,000 patients, mostly children, losing access to timely care before the July 2027 compliance deadline. Parents argue that many families rely on private clinics because public services cannot provide adequate wait times, and they criticize regulations such as ceiling height and square footage requirements as impractical barriers to essential healthcare. In response to the dispute, the Ministry of Health and the Croatian Society of Logopedists established the Croatian Chamber of Logopedists on Thursday to oversee professional standards, issue permits, and maintain a registry of practitioners.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the conflict by emphasizing the human cost of bureaucratic regulation, focusing heavily on parental distress and the potential loss of critical pediatric healthcare. It highlights specific regulatory details like 'ceiling height' and 'square footage' to illustrate perceived absurd

Dnevnik.hr logoDnevnik.hrIndependentProgressive3 hr. ago
Parents on their feet, writing to the president and the government, "Where will our children continue therapy?"

Parents of children receiving speech therapy have contacted the President and the Government to seek intervention regarding new minimum technical requirements for private speech therapy practices. The parents argue that these regulations threaten the closure of private clinics, leaving their children without access to necessary ongoing treatment. The report notes that this action was taken following a call by Nova TV to highlight the issue. The core concern is the potential disruption of care services due to regulatory changes affecting private healthcare providers.

Bias read (Progressive): The article frames the story through the perspective of affected families seeking state protection against regulatory burdens, implicitly criticizing the government's policy implementation for causing harm to vulnerable groups. This aligns with a left-leaning emphasis on social welfare and state aid

How each side covered it

The same event, grouped by the political lean of the outlets covering it.

How each side covered it

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Covered around the world

The same event as reported in other countries.

Covered around the world

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Claims check

Key factual claims, and how many sources assert vs dispute each.

Claims check

Support independent, bias-aware news and unlock the social pulse, community voting, and every other Supporter feature.

Become a Supporter

Keep the news honest.

ObjectiveNews is reader-funded and ad-free — we show you the bias instead of hiding it. Support independent journalism for €4/month.

Become a Supporter

Related stories