Ljubljana - Jože Golobič, director general of Slovenia's main hospital, UKC Ljubljana, stepped down on Wednesday after being urged to do so by Health Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan at the end of last month. Golobič initially rejected all accusations and labelled the call for his resignation as a political move.

Golobič stepped down today without providing an explanation, the newspaper Delo reported.

The Health Ministry said in a written statement that the minister would respond to the resignation on Thursday as he is in Prague at a meeting of EU health ministers.

The ministry "will do all in its power to stabilise UKC Ljubljana's operations" and push "for all investment projects at UKC Ljubljana to be carried out smoothly".

Minister Bešič Loredan gave Golobič two weeks to step down in the call for resignation he made on 23 August.

He said Golobič should resign because of poor business results, numerous missed deadlines and long waiting times.

"The figures are extremely problematic. The management of the largest health care institution [in the country] is beyond criticism, according to my assessment and the assessment of the prime minister. It is our responsibility to act on the spot," he said at the end of August.

In a note to the minister, prime minister and members of the UKC council obtained by the STA, Golobič rejected all accusations, saying the reasons for tensions and waiting times were not new, but a result of poor investment in the last two or three decades, failed projects, pay anomalies and unreasonable education system does not generate enough medical staff.

He also highlighted some demanding medical problems that UKC had managed to overcome despite the lack on nursing staff, difficult working conditions and the current pay system.

In the last seven years, the hospital has had a different director general every year and a half, which prevents any kind of long-term planing or reaching long-term goals, he warned.