Penta: Public Funds Not at Risk at Hospital in Spisska Nova Ves

Bratislava, 26 August (TASR) - Public funds from the Recovery and Resilience Fund are not at risk in connection with the completion and reconstruction of the hospital in Spisska Nova Ves (Kosice region), stated Penta Hospitals in response to criticism from former health minister and opposition MP Marek Krajci ('Slovakia'-'For the People'-KU caucus) on Tuesday. According to Penta, the signed contract for the project and its addendum envisages the complete spending of all the funds by the end of June of 2026, also covering the complete construction of a new wing, even though the date of its completion is slated for the end of 2028. Penta spokesperson Tomas Kral said that consultations with the Health Ministry preceded the request to extend the deadline, as the original date could not be met on time. "We would have had to withdraw from the contract. That would have meant the end of this multi-million investment in the Spis area," said Kral, emphasising that no investigations or audits are currently under way against the project, which is progressing exactly according to the set timeline. Krajci again warned on Monday (25 August) that Slovakia could lose millions of euros from the Recovery Plan due to missteps by private hospitals. He criticised Penta's approach to the construction of the hospital in Spisska Nova Ves, saying that the project deadline was moved from 30 June 2026 to 31 December 2028, with only the building's shell scheduled for completion by the original deadline. According to him, Penta arranged an addendum to the contract with former health minister Zuzana Dolinkova (2023-24) so that the hospital would not have to be completed by the original deadline. As a result, it will not be possible to finance the entire project from the Recovery Plan, and millions of undrawn euros will be forfeited, with the state, i.e. taxpayers, having to foot the bill instead, stated Krajci. jrg/df