SaS and 'Slovakia' Call on Health Minister Sasko to Resign

Bratislava, 11 August (TASR) – Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) has no business remaining in his post, said opposition parties Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) and 'Slovakia' during press conferences held on Monday. They added that that merely cancelling the ambulance service tender isn't enough because it's just one of the steps that the minister should take, with the next one being his resignation. SaS leader Branislav Grohling called on Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) to dismiss Sasko, saying that "he has absolutely no business remaining there. Nobody is backing him, nobody is defending him except for Voice-SD leader Matus Sutaj Estok." According to Michal Sipos ('Slovakia'), the ambulance tender was a dirty deal. He stated that Sasko needed to buy time for negotiations with Fico and coalition SNS party leader Andrej Danko and to "agree with the sponsors of these two parties on finding a way to divide up the thirty pieces of silver". Sipos added that 'Slovakia' is urging Sasko to leave "as he's been [back] in Slovakia for five days now and keeps saying how he is disturbed, that he still doesn't know how it turned out and that he will wait and see ... he's just muddying the waters and gaining time." "That's why we've decided today to urge him to pack all his things and leave, ideally for political retirement," stated Sipos. The opposition parties have been critical of the tender and submitted a no-confidence motion in Sasko to Parliament on Friday (8 August). An extraordinary session has been convened by House Chair Richard Rasi (Voice -SD) for Wednesday (13 August). Sasko has stated that he'll announce the next steps regarding the ambulance tender on Monday. He emphasised that he wouldn't allow any scandals or "shady deals" to take place. jrg/df/ko