Passport seized from owner of Sante Plus Group as eye‑surgery investigation continues
Court ordered measures for nine suspects, passport taken from Bilal Kara; probe examines alleged double billing that hit 3,000–4,000 patients.
The Criminal Court has ordered precautionary measures for nine suspects in the probe into alleged abuses tied to eye operations, including the seizure of the passport of Bilal Kara, the chairman of the board of the European Eye Hospital. Kara, who served as honorary consul of North Macedonia in Turkey, has been banned from leaving the country and must report periodically to the court.
The measures follow an investigation into alleged double billing for services at the private clinic under Kara’s ownership — Sante Plus Group — which also previously operated as the clinic “International Mediker”. Media reports from last year said Kara was wanted by Albanian police under an arrest warrant over suspected abuses linked to that private clinic.
When asked about reports that one of those arrested had been wanted in Albania and was appointed honorary consul in Turkey three years ago, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said he did not know which person was involved.
Allegations, scope and losses
According to the criminal complaint, the European Eye Hospital billed patients privately even though it had contracts with the Health Insurance Fund and was receiving fund payments for services. Between 3,000 and 4,000 patients are believed to have been affected. The damage to the Fund’s budget is estimated at around €1.7 million, while prosecutors suspect the private hospital obtained illicit financial gain of about €4.25 million.
The government and the court say the money should be returned through judicial proceedings. In total, 11 people are being prosecuted in the case, including former director of the Health Insurance Fund Den Donchev, the director of the Fund’s Control Sector and two other Fund managers.
The European Eye Hospital has denied charging patients twice. In a statement the clinic said: "Our institution has never harmed a single patient, neither from a health nor from a moral or financial aspect. For more than a year we have been working without support from the Fund for Health Insurance and we have managed to preserve the quality of services and affordability of prices."
Photo: press material from the event
