Emergency Medical Workers Protest for Return of Special Pension Benefits

Emergency medical workers staged another protest today, demanding the reinstatement of special pension benefits that were scrapped nearly three decades ago.

Paramedics, nurses, technicians, and ambulance drivers are calling for the same preferential status and compensation as police and firefighters, citing the physical and emotional challenges of their demanding work.

One ambulance driver said the government must recognize the limits of their profession.

“Primarily, we want the government to once again put us on equal footing with other emergency services,” he said. “We can’t do our jobs adequately and safely after 65. At that age, we are the ones who need help.”

Another driver said the current rules are unfair.

“Firefighters and the police have this beneficial status, but we don’t,” he said. “We should all get it - or none of us should.”

Dražen Jović, president of the Independent Trade Unions of Croatia, said the demands highlight how emergency medical workers have been overlooked for years.

“In a way, you’ve been forgotten - and that should never happen,” Jović said. “Everyone knows that emergency medicine is extremely demanding. However, people tend to forget the human factor. Sooner or later, everyone needs your services.”

Health Minister Irena Hrstić responded by saying that while she fully recognizes the importance of emergency medicine, current conditions do not meet the criteria for special pension benefits.

“According to expert recommendations, the elements necessary to qualify for beneficial seniority status are non-existent,” Hrstić said. “As Minister of Health, I would never categorize emergency medicine as unimportant - it is absolutely vital. Emergency medical professionals are always on the front lines saving lives.”