HEALTHCARE facilities administered by the Defence Ministry will be transformed into joint stock companies, according to new healthcare legislation. The director of the military healthcare depart-ment, Richard Kozár, said that the majority of military healthcare facilities, including the Defence Ministry's hospital in Bratislava and air force military hospital in Košice, will be transformed as of January 1, 2006, the SITA news agency wrote.
A new joint stock company will administer other military healthcare facilities, including spas and a treatment facility in Tatranská Polianka. The central military hospital in Ružomberok will become a joint-stock company as of July 1, 2006. A part of the hospital will continue to be used for army purposes only.