MILLIONS promised to hospitals from higher taxes on cigarettes are still missing, Health Minister Roman Kováč has claimed.
An on-going battle between the Health and Finance Ministries is holding up the payment of promised money following a rise in taxes on cigarettes from the start of this year that will bring an extra Sk850 million ($17 million) to the state's coffers.
Kováč claims that Finance Minister František Hajnovič is refusing to give the money and has called for a special meeting with Hajnovič and ex-Finance Minister Brigita Schmögnerová to get confirmation the money, earmarked for cancer and cardio-vascular treatments, will be released.
The Finance Ministry has rejected Kováč's claims and says it has still not calculated the increased revenues from the raised tax on cigarettes.
