Ladies and gentlemen, to the scene where in a few moments
we will unveil the cornerstone of the new children's hospital,
the following are coming: the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia,
Mr. Janez Janša,
the Minister of Health, Mr. Janez Poklukar,
and the acting director of the Šentvid pri Stični Children's Hospital,
Mrs. Tanja Smrekar.
Please, unveil the cornerstone.
We shall accompany this symbolic act with applause
and a commemorative photograph.
Dear gathered, especially employees of the children's hospital,
today is a big and special day for all of us.
At the crossroads of the present and the future,
many years of efforts are coming to fruition.
I invite the local pastor, Mr. Izidor Grošelj,
to bless the cornerstone.
Brothers and sisters,
the Bible tells us about Jesus' love,
a loving attitude towards the sick and those in need.
He instructed his disciples to imitate him in this.
The cornerstone we bless today
is a sign that we have not forgotten Jesus' command,
and that we are willing to serve
our suffering brothers and sisters to the best of our ability.
So that the works will go according to plan and that those
who come here seeking health, will get it,
let us pray the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Let us pray. Lord, our God.
Your son healed our weaknesses
and diseases in the power of the Holy Spirit.
He sent his disciples to preach the gospel
and instructed them to visit the sick.
We ask you that all the sick who will be or are here
are kindly accepted by doctors and their assistants
who will monitor the course of their disease
and devote all their care to their healing.
When they leave here healed in body and soul,
may they continually praise your goodness through Christ our Lord.
Thank you very much, pastor. Now I ask the Prime Minister,
Minister and acting director for short statements.
Dear locals, employees of the hospital, Mr. Mayor,
everyone present.
As I stepped over the threshold of the children's hospital,
I remembered the days long gone,
when I was still in high school in Stična and I had a classmate
from the then centre.
We visited him several times.
When I saw these rooms today, some of the pictures were similar,
but otherwise, a lot has happened during this time.
We invested in hospital and working conditions,
but not enough. So I’m glad that with this cornerstone
we are starting a project that will give the hospital
the necessary capacities to meet the prescribed standards.
The results you have achieved so far
in the treatment of children with chronic diseases
you have achieved in difficult conditions.
A sincere thank you to all of you who nonetheless
lovingly cared for the children
who need special care and attention.
Thank you for your willingness to help during the pandemic.
Unfortunately, this was not the case everywhere,
but you immediately came to the rescue here.
Both with the capacities you have made available
and patient care,
when we were looking for every free bed in Slovenia.
Thank you to the nurses who helped in the medical centre at the time.
We will never forget that.
Thank you to the management for their ambitions,
because without these ambitions and efforts
to gain support for project financing,
there would be no cornerstone,
behind which is a project on a realistic financial basis.
As we have heard, there are still some land issues and so on.
Everywhere in Slovenia, where we are embarking on new projects,
especially in healthcare, there are and will be a lot of investments,
because this is one of our priorities,
unfortunately we come across unresolved land registry conditions,
things that in a country governed by the rule of law one cannot imagine.
But we are solving them and government visits to Slovenian regions...
Today, we conclude our last visit in this term.
They help move things forward. I won't list them,
because laying a cornerstone is not the time for such things,
but everything we heard during the conversation...
I promise that the government and the relevant ministries
will try to solve it as soon as possible.
The project of new hospital capacities,
the cornerstone of which we just unveiled,
goes on, of course. Funds are provided,
as are all other conditions,
even if some of these land complications are not resolved,
it will be built and you will finally get the working conditions
that you deserve, and most importantly,
that the children deserve,
because they need our greatest care.
Something that only those of you who have it in your heart can give.
Thank you so much for loving the children.
I'm sure that we will dot the i's and cross the t's here soon,
with the opening of new premises which will grant predispositions
that you wished for in the last decades,
but there was not enough will, courage or money.
I'm happy we made this stride forward. Thank you.
Dear guests, you know I've said that the youth is the future.
As a father, I know what children bring to our lives.
Happiness and joy.
As a doctor I also know and understand what follows,
if a child is chronically ill.
I'd like to thank all 73 employees
of the Children's Hospital Šentivd pri Stični.
With your tireless work
not only you cure children,
but are preparing them for life, educating them about their illness
you are helping them see positives.
How important the work and message of the hospital are,
showed after 20 years in December last year.
It was called a "centre" before, offering secondary care since 1996,
but since December bears the name Children's Hospital Šentivd pri Stični.
Once again, sincere thanks and congratulations.
You will be given conditions
to carry out your calling in the future.
The 4-storey building
will come with a contemporary mess hall
and a kitchen. The children can be hospitalized for months,
so correct nutrition is an essential part of recovery.
The ground floor will see a new ward with 16 beds,
each room will have two.
Each room will have its own bathroom.
As I've learned today, it's especially important
so that children can enter the society
with their families after their treatment.
There will be a clinic ward on the ground floor
and the so-called Floor on the 1st floor.
It will consist of 30 beds in 15 rooms.
The same standards will be applied.
A novelty is a post-discharge ward
with additional 25 beds.
In total, this building will bring 71 new hospital beds
on 3200 square metres.
The current hospital amounts to 2700 sq metres.
The extension will have 3200 square metres.
We'll get from 40 hospital beds to over 70. This means
additional capacities for our youngest and most vulnerable.
The project is worth €5.8 million.
€5.5 is funded by the EU,
300.000 from the budget.
This project will enable better treatment for our children.
It will be shorter
so the possibility of nosocomial infections will be reduced.
It will increase the level of healthcare services.
I also learned today that new services will be possible.
And all the employees will work in proper working conditions.
The new kitchen will provide that extra spark
because both the employees and our children need it.
I'd like to thank all the employees again.
Because you've decided to choose your profession and workplace.
This shows your high moral values
and a sense of belonging to each and every child you treat.
The children are our future, so we better take care of them.
Thank you.
After 7 years of efforts
the day has finally come. It gives hope,
strength and momentum
for such valiant work that my colleagues carry out daily.
I'm happy the new extension will grant us quality units
for child healthcare.
I'm honoured that the PM Janez Janša
and the Minister for Health Janez Poklukar are here today.
I'd like to thank all the investors,
the Ministry for Health who co-funded this project
along with the EU funds and the government budget.
I'd like to thank all who prepared project documentation
who persevered with us and adjusted to our needs.
Thank you, Mr. Izidor Grošelj for your blessing.
Despite the difficult times
we will see this project through
and the extension will help us soon.
The children's hospital is important for our town
in terms of employment,
but it is even more important for all the children from across the country.
In the name of the employees
and the children and their parents, thank you.
Thank you to all the participants.
The ceremony has concluded.
A pleasant day to everyone.