Sasko Files Complaint at PG's Office and Zilina Court in Connection with Tender

Bratislava, 11 August (TASR) - Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) has asked the Prosecutor-General's Office (PG) to look into the lawfulness of the procedures in connection with the tender procedure for the issuance of a permit to operate ambulances of the emergency medical service (EMS), ministry spokeswoman Veronika Danicova told TASR on Monday, adding he also asked the Zilina District Court to check the suspicions concerning the connection of the bidders or their control by the same ultimate beneficiary. "It is in the interest of the minister to check the existence of reasonable suspicions that some of the bidders who applied for the tender are interconnected or controlled by the same ultimate beneficiary. Alternatively, to examine the existence of reasonable suspicions or indications that the bidders haven't fully and truthfully declared the identity of their ultimate beneficiary and that some bidders have provided false information or submitted invalid documents in the tender," added the spokesperson. The ambulance service tender is being criticised both by the opposition and the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS). The opposition parties tabled on Friday (8 August) a no-confidence motion in Sasko in this regard in Parliament. MPs are expected to discuss the motion on Wednesday (13 August) at an extraordinary session. Sasko declared that he'll announce the next procedure in connection with the ambulance tender on Monday, stressing that he won't allow scandals or "deals". Head of the Emergency Medical Service Operations Centre Marian Povolny resigned on Monday. am/mcs