Ljubljana - The government adopted on Thursday an initiative to conclude an agreement with Croatia on cross-border cooperation in the provision of emergency medical services. The goal is to establish a cross-border network that would provide such services for residents and tourists on both sides of the border in Istria.

The government also endorsed an agreement on cooperation in emergency medical services and a protocol on cross-border transportation of patients with life-threatening conditions or injuries to the Izola hospital, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said.

It added that the agreements would strengthen cross-border cooperation in the provision of emergency medical care, improve access to healthcare services and ensure connectivity of these services in the Istria County in Croatia and the Obalno-Kraška region in Slovenia.

The aim of the project is to establish a cross-border network of healthcare institutions that would intervene in cases such as heart attack, stroke or polytrauma, as well as in mass accidents, UKOM said.