SaS: Sasko Should Be Dismissed from Post Over Ambulance Tender

Bratislava, 7 August (TASR) - Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) should be dismissed from his post in connection with the ambulance service tender, opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) representatives told a news conference on Thursday, again criticising the tender terms and indicating that the winner has been agreed upon in advance. "I want to demand again in this place that Kamil Sasko should be dismissed, be dismissed now and not wait for his return from holiday and an explanation of some misconduct or such like. He shouldn't even return to the Health Ministry from that holiday and should be ousted now. The ambulance service tender for €2 billion is the mega scandal of Fico's fourth government, for which the health minister must be held personally accountable," stated SaS leader Branislav Groehling. Groehling pointed out that the tender has been criticised not only by the opposition, but also by coalition partners. SaS has several questions for the health minister in this regard. It wants to know when the results of the tender and the documents related to it will be published, according to what criteria projects will be assessed, what professional qualifications the members of the commission have, and how the ministry has made sure that a single owner can't control more than 25 percent of the market via other companies. SaS would also like to know why the tender wasn't announced earlier, whether it can be scrapped, and whether it is possible to amend the law by the end of the summer so that the tender will be transparent. In addition to the opposition, the ambulance tender has also been criticised by the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) and the Doctors Labour Union Association (LOZ). President Peter Pellegrini has asked Sasko to adhere to the law in the tender. Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has said that if Sasko fails to dispel doubts surrounding the ambulance service tender, he will insist on cancelling it and restarting the competition. The Health Ministry has declared that the tender is being conducted in a standard manner and fully in accordance with current legislation. The tender concerns the operation of 344 ground ambulance stations and seven air ambulance units. ko/df