LJUBLJANA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia's Constitutional Court has ruled on wednesday that doctors employed in public medical institutions must be allowed to work in private practices during their free time, striking down a key provision of the government's health reform.
The provision, adopted by parliament in April, barred most publicly employed doctors from engaging in private practice. The government argued that the ban was necessary to improve efficiency in the national health-care system.
Slovenia's public health sector has been under pressure, with many patients facing waiting time of one year or longer for certain medical procedures.
The Trade Union of Doctors and Dentists Fides challenged the ban before the Constitutional Court, arguing that it would further weaken the public health system by prompting doctors to leave public institutions in order to continue private practice.
In its ruling, the court said the prohibition violated the constitutional right to free economic initiative and ordered parliament to amend the law within one year.
Bojana Beovic, president of the Medical Chamber of Slovenia, welcomed the ruling, saying it was "in the interest of Slovenia's citizens and patients".
The decision deals a blow to the government led by Prime Minister Robert Golob ahead of the general election scheduled for March 22, as health reform has been a central element of its political agenda. ■