COOPERATION PLAN BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA'S MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC'S MINISTRY FOR 2006-2008

On the basis of Article 5 of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Slovak Republic on cooperation in the field of health signed in Bratislava on 11 March 1994, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic (hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties') agreed the following cooperation plan for 2006-2008:

Article 1
The Parties shall, upon request, exchange information concerning the health status of the population and research in this area and the laws and regulations relating to activities in the health sector.

Article 2
The Contracting Parties shall inform each other of extremely dangerous industrial accidents occurring in their countries as well as of the occurrence of serious infectious diseases and other emergency epidemiological situations.
Article 3
The Parties shall inform each other of international scientific events organised in their countries.
Article 4
The Parties agree to exchange experience in the following areas:

  1. Health policy
  2. Financing healthcare
  3. Hygiene control of food safety, goods and environmental factors
  4. Epidemiological surveillance of infectious and parasitic diseases
  5. Drug policy
  6. Health promotion and disease prevention
  7. Training of healthcare staff
  8. natural healing baths, natural healing resources and natural mineral waters
  9. European integration
  10. Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of drug users
  11. control of medical products containing drug substances used for medical purposes.

Article 5

The Parties shall cooperate in developing and implementing national and local action programmes and environmental and health challenges related to environmental health problems and shall implement mutually agreed measures to eliminate them. The Contracting Parties shall inform each other if ecological situations arise that could endanger the health of the population.
Article 6
The Parties agree to enhance mutual cooperation in the field of public health control and control of goods relevant to public health (food, cosmetic products, products for normal use, etc.).
Article 7
The Parties shall assist each other in developing cooperation between the health institutions of both countries and promote direct cooperation between them, provided that both Parties show interest.
Article 8
According to Article 4, (c) The agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Slovak Republic on cooperation in the field of health will be the treatment of patients after prior consideration of their acceptance and the costs of the Sending Party.
The application for admission to treatment shall be accompanied by the necessary documentation on the patient's medical condition in Russian, English or German.
Each Party shall be able to send its patients only after obtaining the consent of the receiving Party, which shall determine the date of admission. The sending party must confirm the date and means of arrival at least 10 days before the patient arrives. Article 9
The Contracting Parties shall create the conditions for short-term training andtraining of health professionals of the other Party for a maximum period of 30 days a year. The Parties agree to organise exchanges of experts reciprocally under the following financial conditions:
  1. The sending party will cover travel experts to and from the receiving party's capital.
  2. The Host Party shall cover accommodation and domestic transport related to the work programme and daily allowances.
  3. The amount of money to pay for accommodation and meals will always be provided in accordance with the national legislation of the Contracting Party concerned.

Article 10
The financial conditions for the participation of invited specialists in scientific events will be specified in invitations.
Article 11
The exchange of materials and documents referred to in Article 1 of this plan shall take place free of charge.
Article 12
In order to evaluate the development of cooperation and its results, representatives of the Parties shall meet at regular working meetings held alternately in both Parties.
Article 13
The cooperation plan shall enter into force on the date of signature and shall expire on 31 December 2008.
Dané in Bratislava On 27 April 2006, in two original copies, each in Bulgarian, Slovak and English, all texts having the same validity. In the case of different interpretations, the English version will be decisive.