Part of Slovak opposition asked Prime Minister Robert Fico for a meeting to discuss six requirements specified at the meeting marking the 25th anniversary of the November 17 Revolution in Bratislava.
Head of the new non-parliamentary party Občania Slovenska (Citizens of Slovakia), independent MP Alojz Hlina; leader of the NOVA party Daniel Lipšic; head of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) Igor Matovič; and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) Chairman Richard Sulík push for the MPs to approve at the next parliamentary session the law preventing the participation of mailbox companies in public procurement, the requirement for health insurers to clearly state their true owners, to create a special committee for overseeing the investigation of the Gorilla case. Some also want a law preventing political nominations in the health-care sector.
They also demand an immediate dismissal of Health Ministry’s Service Office Director Martin Senčák and Piešťany Hospital Director Mária Domčeková over the scandal of an overpriced computerised tomography scanner.
“Selection committees will be appointed with participation of several subjects – representatives of employees, the Slovak Medical Chamber, the Slovak Chamber of Nurses and Midwives – so that no subject can appoint a majority of the committee members,” they explain, as cited by the SITA newswire on November 19.
Miroslav Beblavý, the vice chairman of the extra-parliamentary Sieť party, presented a proposal to exclude from public procurement the mailbox companies with shady ownership background. Beblavý announced that Sieť wants to seek support for the proposal among other parties, including the governing Smer.
Prime Minister Robert Fico will not meet opposition MPs who want to debate health care, corruption and other demands, Government Office’s Press Department announced on the same day.
“The prime minister sees no reason to take part in a game organised by politicians with minimum public support, who prefer public incitement to democratic political competition in parliament,” reads the statement, as quoted by TASR. The Press Department notes that the cabinet has adopted packages of social and anti-corruption measures.
In reaction to Fico, Hlina, Lipšic, Matovič and Sulík announced another protest meeting in the SNP Square in Bratislava, for November 25 at 17:00, TASR wrote.
(Source: SITA, TASR)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
