Krajci: Missteps by Private Hospitals Put Millions of Euros into Jeopardy

Bratislava, 23 August (TASR) – MP and former health minister (2020-21) Marek Krajci ('Slovakia'-For the People-KU) has warned that Slovakia may lose further millions of euros from the Recovery and Resilience Plan due to alleged missteps by private hospitals, whereas both the Agel group and the Penta Hospitals network have rejected the claims. Krajci referred to findings by the Public Procurement Authority (UVO). „Unfortunately, we have learned that the Slovak Republic may lose additional millions of euros from the Recovery Plan — this time with respect to the company Agel. Agel Hospital in Levice violated the Public Procurement Act by artificially splitting a single contract into two, thereby lowering the estimated value and bypassing the obligation to conduct an above-threshold procurement,” Krajci said. According to him, UVO pointed out that the hospital deliberately divided the contract into two smaller parts and contacted only three pre-selected companies. Krajci stated that the Health Ministry is obliged by law to report the identified violation to the National Implementation and Coordination Authority, which must then inform the European Commission and the European Anti-Fraud Office. „The upshot will be that European funds cannot be used this way. The Health Ministry will not be able to have these funds reimbursed by the European Commission from the Recovery Plan, meaning that millions of euros will be forfeited,” Krajci added. A similar scenario could occur, according to Krajci, with the hospital project in Spisska Nova Ves, which is being implemented by Penta. „The Health Ministry under former minister Zuzana Dolinkova (2023-24) allowed the construction to be completed by 31 December 2028, contrary to the deadlines required by the European Commission. These cases demonstrate that private entities are likely to cause the forfeiture of Recovery Plan funds, and Slovakia will not be able to draw the money as originally requested for these hospital projects,” Krajci said. mf