MORNING NEWS HIGHLIGHTS - Friday, 8 August 2025 - 9 a.m.

TASR brings a quick morning overview of the most important events seen in Slovakia on the previous day (Thursday, 7 August): BRATISLAVA - The inclusion of financial tools in a programme requires expert financial analyses and a thorough evaluation of the sector regarding the drawing of EU funds, said Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) on Thursday, adding that this is a specialised area in which the European Commission prefers an independent assessment of the environment by external experts. Takac responded in this way to a statement made by Veronika Remisova ('Slovakia' party, For the People, the Christian Union/KU) that the ministry made another dubious deal when it hired a private consulting firm to analyse and assess the current state of the drawing of EU funds. "If the MP were aware that the aim of introducing financial tools is to prevent the forfeiture of funds from 2014-2022 due to the idleness of governments of which she was a part, she wouldn't be able to criticise measures that are aimed at remedying this," stated Takac. BRATISLAVA - The Public Procurement Office (UVO) has stated that the Health Ministry prepared the ambulance service tender in contravention of EU regulations, UVO spokesman Michal Dzurjanin has informed TASR. The office noted that the existence of the contradiction was declared by the European Union back in 2020 in response to a previous tender. According to UVO, the ministry has since been unable to amend health-care laws so that they match EU legislation. According to UVO chairman Peter Kubovic, the current situation related to the selection of the operator of 344 ground stations and seven air ambulance units is a consequence of long-standing unresolved imperfections of Slovak legislation. "Over the past five years, the health-care sector hasn't been able to prepare the necessary amendments to health laws so that they are in line with EU regulations in the field of public procurement," he said. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) lied about a coup d'état in Slovakia in January, representatives of the opposition parties agreed Thursday, responding to the Georgian National Legion leader Mamuk Mamulashvili's visit to Slovakia at the end of July. It was in January this year that the Slovak government accused Mamulashvili of participating in an alleged coup. Opposition's Progressive Slovakia (PS) MP Branislav Vanco said "it was just a smokescreen and a way to prevent the opposition from dismissing the government," he said, recalling that, in January, the government interrupted the house session on the ouster of the government, with Fico presenting a report about a coup being staged in Slovakia. He added the coalition was not able to prevent Mamulashvili from entering the territory of the Slovak Republic or the Schengen Area, as they had promised. BRATISLAVA - Progressive Slovakia (PS) claims that Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) is "rewarding" donors of the Voice-SD party in the ambulance tender, describing the process as a clear case of political corruption. Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Oskar Dvorak, the vice-chair of the House Health Committee and PS member, stated that PS has acquired unofficial results of the tender. According to him, half of all ambulance service points will likely be awarded to the state, as in previous years, while the other half is to be split between two companies: the financial group Agel, which will receive nearly 25 percent of all points, and Emergency Medical Solutions, a company established in May this year with no prior experience, headquartered in an unmarked building on the outskirts of Bratislava. Dvorak stated there are suspected links between Emergency Medical Solutions and Agel, claiming that Stefan Baumann, whose son is a donor to Voice-SD, is behind the company. He added that Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) defended the tender vigorously because Baumann and Oliver Baumann Jr. supply the Interior Ministry with expensive vehicle maintenance contracts through their firm Bayern Center. Oliver Baumann Jr. also ran as a candidate for Voice-SD in the 2022 local elections. BRATISLAVA - The ambulance tender needs to be cancelled and restarted anew, this time under the rules of a transparent and fair competition, representatives of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) declared on Thursday. KDH issued this call in light of a statement from the Public Procurement Authority (UVO), which has raised concerns over the tender process. „The (health) minister (Kamil Sasko) has a unique opportunity to prove that he truly cares about patients. What I have heard in the media over the past week regarding suspicions is unbelievable. The very fact that such a 'tender' is even being discussed is alarming. This is not a tender — this is a farce," said MP Frantisek Majersky (KDH). KDH insists that the tender needs to be restarted to ensure public trust and proper management of public funds. The party maintains that transparency must be a non-negotiable standard in healthcare procurement. BRATISLAVA - Justice Minister Boris Susko (Smer-SD) stated he had intended to take part in Thursday's special emergency session of the House Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee and pointed out that he came to Parliament, but the committee failed to reach a quorum. Speaking at a press conference held in Parliament, Susko dismissed criticism from the opposition — which initiated the session — calling it an attempt to deflect attention from the failures of the previous government. „I respect MPs, including those from the opposition. But I came to attend the committee session, not to debate with opposition members. Since the committee was not quorate, I had no reason to engage in a debate solely with opposition MPs,” Susko explained why he'd left. jrg/ko