'Slovakia' Challenges Sasko's Arguments Concerning Ambulance Tender Cancellation

Bratislava, 15 August (TASR) - The opposition 'Slovakia' party has challenged the arguments presented by Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) regarding the cancellation of the ambulance service tender, and is again calling on the minister to resign, TASR reported on Friday. MP Michal Sipos ('Slovakia'-For the People-KU caucus) stated that in case Sasko doesn't step down himself, his dismissal must be announced by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) on Friday. According to Sipos, the tender was lawfully completed on 31 July and was signed by the entire commission. Therefore, it was not possible to cancel the tender in a lawful manner, he said. "Based on the report [tender evaluation report by the Emergency Medical Service Operations Centre - ed. note] which he did not want to publish, but the SME daily obtained it and has it at its disposal, the tender was signed by the entire commission, with the dates clearly stated. This report was concluded, the tender was concluded, evaluated and lawfully completed in favour of the Voice-SD's sponsors on 31 July," said Sipos. The MP also accused minister Sasko of lying and misleading the public by saying it was merely a "draft report" because when the documents were concluded and signed, Penta company was still a participant in the tender. "Minister Sasko says this renders the conclusion of the procedure invalid (...) because the report does not include Penta’s withdrawal from the tender. But Penta did withdraw and really did announce its withdrawal on 8 August. However, rather than delivering the notice to the Emergency Medical Service Operations Centre, they delivered it to the Health Ministry, which failed to inform the operations centre that was in charge of the tender," he argued. Sipos expressed concerns that Slovakia could incur damages through possible lawsuits from tender participants, describing the tender as a "mega-fraud of Fico's fourth government". "It is being covered up by Minister Sasko, by Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD), by President Peter Pellegrini, and now also by Fico," he added. Former interior minister Roman Mikulec ('Slovakia'-For the People-KU caucus) urged the premier to dismiss Sasko immediately, while also calling on law enforcement bodies to take action. The tender for ambulance service licences was criticised both by the opposition and the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS). In response to the criticism, Sasko said that he wouldn't tolerate scandals or "shady deals". He asked the Prosecutor-General's Office to investigate the legality of the tender process. He also announced that the tender will be scrapped in a lawful manner. The tender was officially cancelled on Wednesday (13 August) by the Emergency Medical Services Operations Centre. jrg/mcs/am