ZEVA | Central & Eastern Europe

JOINT RESOLUTION
2025
32nd ZEVA SYMPOSIUM OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN CHAMBERS OF PHYSICIANS

SKOPJE, NORTH MACEDONIA, 5 SEPTEMBER 2024

HOSTED BY THE DOCTOR'S CHAMBER OF NORTH MACEDONIA

JOINT RESOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN CHAMBERS OF PHYSICIANS IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE HUNGARIAN MEDICAL CHAMBER (MOK)

We, the undersigned representatives of the Chambers of Physicians of Central and Eastern Europe, express our profound concern over the increasing political interference in the work and independence of the Hungarian Medical Chamber (MOK).

For over three decades, since its re-establishment in the early 1990s, the Hungarian Medical Chamber (MOK) has been an essential part of our regional collaboration and a strong advocate for professional self-governance, patient rights, and the rule of law.

The reintroduction of medical chambers across Central and Eastern Europe in the early 1990s was not only an institutional reform. It represented a powerful expression of professional and national self-confidence after decades of state control, and a return to long-standing traditions of ethical responsibility and professional autonomy.

At the same time, it was a clear sign of reintegration into the European community of values – affirming a commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and the independence of the medical profession.

Through this renewal, the chambers also revived a long-standing culture of regional cooperation and mutual support, expressed in continued exchange through forums such as the ZEVA Symposium. This spirit of solidarity remains essential today.

We underline that chambers of physicians are essential institutions within their national healthcare systems. Their legitimacy and strength come from their responsibility to the public as much as to the profession. They speak not only for doctors but also on behalf of patients, working to uphold quality care, equitable access, and ethical practice. In times of crisis and reform, chambers often serve as crucial sources of expertise and stability, both nationally and across the region.

Concerning recent alarming developments:

The abolition of mandatory membership, weakening the unity and representativeness of the profession;
The removal of ethical oversight from the chamber to a politically controlled entity;
Public accusations and delegitimization of the chamber by high-ranking government officials;
Proposed laws enabling the dissolution of organizations under vague pretexts such as "foreign influence".

These actions constitute a systemic threat to the medical profession's autonomy and echo patterns observed in previous cases involving universities and civil society organizations in Hungary.

Reaffirming our common principles:

We recall the Košice Memorandum adopted at the 1994 ZEVA Symposium, which reasserted the following principles shared across Central and Eastern Europe:

Self-governance of the medical profession is a fundamental prerequisite for high quality, ethical and patient-oriented healthcare.
Independent and democratically legitimized chambers are essential fo representing the interests of physicians and patients alike.
Chambers play a key role in setting ethical standards, ensuring continuing education, and supporting professional development.
The independence of physicians from political or economic pressure must be protected to maintain public trust.
International cooperation among chambers is vital to defending and promoting these shared values.

The Hungarian Medical Chamber has embodied these principles for decades. It is not only a professional organization, but a public institution rooted in democratic legitimacy, competence, and service to the healthcare system.

Our appeal:
We call on the Government of Hungary to:

Respect the institutional independence and democratic legitimacy of the Hungarian Medical Chamber;
Cease defamatory rhetoric and delegitimization campaigns against the chamber;
Protect and support the system of self-governance as a safeguard for medical quality and public health;
Reaffirm Hungary’s commitment to European standards of professional autonomy and rule of law.

We express our unwavering solidarity with our colleagues in Hungary. Undermining a medical chamber is not just a threat to the medical profession, but also to the health and well-being of the entire population.

Signed by:

Dr Dritan Trepça
Order of Physicians of Albania National Council

Dr Nikolay Branzalov
Bulgarian Medical Association

Asst. Prof. Krešimir Luetić , MD, PhD
Croatian Medical Chamber

Dr Milan Kubek
Czech Medical Chamber

Dr Klaus Reinhardt
Bundesärztekammer (German Medical Association)

Dr Péter Zoltán Álmos
Hungarian Medical Chamber

Dr Pleurat Sejdiu, Mr. Sci.
Kosovo Doctors Chamber

Prof. Dr. Kalina Grivcheva – Stardelova
Medical Chamber of North Macedonia

Dr Žanka Cerović
Medical Chamber of Montenegro

Dr Łukasz Jankowski
Polish Chamber of Physicians and Dentists

Dr Ljiljana Tadić–Latinović
The Republic of Srpska Medical Association

Prof. Dr Cătălina Poiană
Romanian College of Physicians

Dr Miodrag Stanić
Serbian Medical Chamber

Prof. Dr Bojana Beović
Medical Chamber of Slovenia

Dr Jaroslav Šimo
Slovak Medical Chamber

Endorsed and supported by the European Doctors (CPME)

Dr Ole Johan Bakke
President CPME

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