Parliament: Opposition Initiating No-confidence Motion in Health Minister

Bratislava, 8 August (TASR) - Opposition parties are filing a proposal for a no-confidence motion in Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) in Parliament, MP Oskar Dvorak (Progressive Slovakia/PS) told a news conference on Friday. The reason given is the non-transparent ambulance service tender amounting to €2 billion. The parties criticise the tender for being non-transparent, claiming that its winners have been agreed upon in advance. "We're making use of all tools and options available to us as the opposition. We've done everything we could. ... I think that now is the right time for us to come forward as a united opposition, put our signatures on the table and say that if he doesn't leave today on his own and the premier doesn't dismiss him, he'll face an ouster in Parliament within seven days," said MP Michal Sipos ('Slovakia' party, For the People, the Christian Union/KU). MP Frantisek Majersky (Christian Democrats/KDH) stated that the coalition Voice-SD party "messed up" the entire tender even more than former health minister Pavol Paska. It has never happened in the past that a company that has no experience with emergency medical services has won this kind of tender, stated Majersky, adding that he'll file a criminal complaint in connection with the tender later on Friday. The ambulance service tender is being criticised by the opposition, the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS) and the Doctors' Trade 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 Public Procurement Office has pointed out that the Health Ministry prepared the ambulance service tender in contravention of EU regulations. Prosecutor-General (PG) Maros Zilinka has ordered an examination of the tender due to the suspicion of the crime of violating obligations in the administration of someone else's property The Health Ministry in reaction to the opposition's criticism said that the tender is being conducted in a standard manner and fully in accordance with current legislation. Sasko promised to take up a clear position on the tender at a news conference on Friday. The tender concerns the operation of 344 ground ambulance stations and seven air ambulance units. ko/df