Opposition Raises Concerns Over Bratislava National Hospital Project

Bratislava, 17 December (TASR) – The opposition voiced its reservations about the construction of the national hospital in Bratislava's Vajnory burough on Wednesday. Oskar Dvorak, an MP from Progressive Slovakia (PS), pointed out that the public still does not know basic information about how the hospital will be run. Frantisek Majersky (Christian Democratic Movement/KDH) believes that Slovak healthcare does not need marketing gestures, whereas Igor Matovic ('Slovakia'–For the People) considers the hospital project primarily a business opportunity for Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD). "Although a model was presented in the beginning of the year, basic operational information about the hospital has still not been released. For the largest healthcare project in Slovakia's history, we do not have a complete medical plan and clear data are missing,” Dvorak said, describing Wednesday's ministers' presentation as a marketing move. Matovic noted that in Presov the cost of one hospital bed is about half a million euros. "It goes through Kalinak's hands and suddenly it is a million euros," he warned and also pointed out that ownership of land around the hospital is linked to Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice–SD). Majersky also criticised the state for not resolving land issues under Razsochy, "while patients are still dependent on old and deteriorating hospitals". Earlier in the day, the construction of the new General Milan Rastislav Stefanik National Hospital officially began in Bratislava's Vajnory borough. Defence Minister Robert Kalinak and Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) announced the launch at a press conference and laid the foundation stone at the construction site. mf