Scandal at the Central Customs Hospital: "Our salaries are taken away immediately after being deposited"

"For two years now, we have been unable to receive the salary allocated to us by the state. After the salary is credited to our card, it is illegally taken away from us."

With this statement, doctors from the Central Customs Hospital appealed to Qafqazinfo.

According to those who contacted us, 2 years ago, the management informed them about financial problems and that due to this, funds would be withheld from their salaries for some time.

"At that time, they gathered us together and said that the financial situation of the State Customs Committee (SCC) was not good, and it could not allocate funds for the purchase of medical equipment for the Central Customs Hospital. Therefore, we, the doctors, should help.

They said that we already receive income from operations and patient examinations. For some time after our additional customs salaries are credited to our cards, they will be deducted from the earnings we receive as doctors. For example, if a doctor performed 10 operations in a month and after deducting all taxes and expenses should receive a salary of 3 thousand manats, then, since he is a customs civil servant, he will also have the same amount of salary through the SCC. We were told that only the money received from the State Customs Committee would remain. No matter how much salary, holiday pay, or vacation money we receive from the state, they calculate everything and deduct it from our earnings," the hospital doctors claim.

They stated that this problem affects all doctors: "This is not a hospital decision, but an SCC decision. Although it was initially said that this would only be for 6 months - until the financial situation improved, this situation has been going on for years."

Regarding the complaint, an inquiry was made to the SCC. The following response was received from the department:

"Salary payments to employees of the Central Customs Hospital are carried out in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. All medical staff are paid their official salaries, vacation pay, material assistance, and bonuses in a timely manner and in full."

It should be noted that information was previously also circulated about non-payment of salaries to SCC employees for months, as well as violations of employees' rights to vacation.