Upon learning from the media about suspected numerous shortcomings of the competent authorities regarding the exercise of the rights of the citizen of Rwanda married to a citizen of Serbia, the Protector of Citizens launched own-initiative investigation against the Ministry of Interior and the Republic Health Insurance Fund.
The Protector of Citizens learned from the media that a citizen of Rwanda was charged a service in the Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center of Serbia even though she had been married to a Serbian citizen, as well as that their child, who was born mid last year in the Republic of Serbia, has not yet been issued a health card. The Protector of Citizens will also investigate the media allegations about the reasons why a Rwandan citizen was not granted a temporary stay in the Republic of Serbia on the grounds of family reunification.
The Protector of Citizens will request the MOI to provide information within 15 days on the circumstances of the case, and primarily on whether the Rwandan citizen applied to this ministry with a request for temporary residence in Serbia on the grounds of family reunification and, if so, why temporary residence was not granted to her.
In addition, given that it is necessary for the Rwandan citizen to stay in Serbia as she is married to our citizen and has a child with him, the Protector of Citizens requests MOI to notify him on the activities that can be taken to prevent family separation.
From the RHIF, the Protector of Citizens requests that he be informed on all the circumstances of this case within 15 days, and primarily on whether the Rwandan citizen had health insurance deriving from her husband’s insurance at the time of giving birth last year and whether the hospital acted properly when it charged the foreign national for health care.
The Protector of Citizens also requests the competent Health Fund to inform him about the reasons why a health card has not yet been issued to a child whose father resides in Serbia and holding citizenship, as well as what measures will be taken to issue the card to the child as soon as possible.