Kalinak: Construction Work on Presov Hospital Continues; Issues Resolved

Presov, 17 July (TASR) - The issues that had complicated the construction of the new hospital in Presov have been resolved, and work is currently continuing, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) stated on Friday. "I think things are moving full steam ahead. I don't have any recent photos, but I believe all the problematic issues have been resolved, and work is moving forward," said the minister, adding that an inspection day could be organised at the construction site in August to assess how the new contractors have handled the task. "According to my information, there have been no problems so far," noted Kalinak. Construction of the new hospital in Presov was temporarily suspended in the spring following a quality inspection of the building's load-bearing elements. The problem reportedly involved some of the columns. The minister subsequently announced that columns that cannot be repaired will be removed and replaced with new ones, while the others will be reinforced. Due to the situation, the contract with the original contractor was terminated, and a new group of companies took over the project. The ministry issued a public tender for the second phase. Construction of the hospital resumed in June, and work began on removing the damaged columns. The Defence Ministry started discussions with the former contractor regarding the settlement of contractual obligations, admitting that it might even end up in court with the contractor. The former contractor described the termination of the contract as unlawful, unjustified, and premature. According to the contractor, the columns for which the contract was terminated have concrete strength that complies with the project documentation. The police are conducting a criminal investigation into the construction project for the crime of endangering public safety. am