Pavol Rusko, head of the ruling coalition’s Ano party, said that if the Christian Democrats (KDH) governing party continued to object to proposed wage cuts for medical staff, Ano would consider leaving the coalition.
The Christian Democrats have proposed delaying a parliamentary vote on a civil service law to allow “wider discussion”, a term their government partners have interpreted as meaning input from health sector lobby groups.
Ano, however, has thrown its weight behind a plan to reform the country’s crumbling health system that calls for state medical employees to have part of their salaries paid according to performance as of January 1, 2003, rather than automatically as now happens. The plan was designed by Health Minister Rudolf Zajac, himself an Ano member.
The law was originally approved last month, but was returned to parliament by President Rudolf Schuster, meaning it now requires 76 votes in the 150-seat legislature to take effect. The ruling coalition controls only 78 seats, and thus needs the support of the KDH if the bill is to pass.
Compiled by Tom Nicholson from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
