Monitor: President: Sasko Can Be Successful Minister If He Resolves Tender

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', 11 January) Speaking on STVR's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday, President Peter Pellegrini stated that Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) can be a successful head of the ministry if he solves the issue of the ambulance service tender and presents a transparent solution for the emergency medical service system in addition to everything else he is doing. "I think that if Minister Sasko solves the huge problem with non-transparent tender and comes up with a transparent solution that no one will question, then he can be a successful health minister who can still do a lot, but he must devote himself solely to the development of Slovak health-care sector," said Pellegrini, praising the fact that under his leadership, the construction of hospitals has begun, state-run health insurance company VsZP is finally making a profit after a long time, and new drugs for cancer patients are arriving. The president sees nothing wrong with Premier Robert Fico's (Smer-SD) trip to the US next week, where he is to sign an agreement on mutual cooperation between the countries in the field of nuclear energy. He pointed out that the government has been talking about cooperation with the US in this area for some time. "Geopolitics is one thing, certain movements are another, but trade between different parts of the world is another matter entirely, and it will continue regardless of which administration is in power. After all, by the time the project starts, the United States may already have a completely different administration, and different leadership may change its style of politics, so in this case, I don't consider it to be a wrong decision. On the contrary, let's get started as soon as possible so that we have this competitive advantage over the rest of Europe," said the president. In relation to the Voice-SD party, he reiterated that he doesn't interfere in its affairs, although he naturally has friendly relations with its members. "I'm simply saying that if Voice returned to the original path that I set out as its founder, that if it proceeded in a truly pragmatic, professional, calm and decent manner in the interests of the people and only performed tasks that improve the lives of the people and not do anything else - unnecessary things and arguments - then I think it can regain the trust of disappointed voters," said the head of state. am