Tension and disputes in health sector continue

Of the 19 demands submitted by the doctors’ union in December, only two remain unresolved, while the rest have been settled or are set to be addressed in early 2025, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) said during TA3's V politike (In Politics) on Sunday.

"The remaining issues are salaries and a new national hospital," Sasko stated. On Sunday, he sent an open letter addressing these matters to the doctors’ union, healthcare facility directors across Slovakia, and doctors themselves.

Sasko emphasized ongoing, intensive negotiations but criticized what he described as "increasing politicking" by the doctors’ union head Peter Visolajsky.

Later that day, Sasko convened a special sectoral tripartite meeting for Monday afternoon (December 16). However, this move drew criticism from the doctors’ union, which prefers direct negotiations with the ministry.

Union representatives dismissed Sasko's initiative as a "media stunt" unlikely to produce results. They stressed their commitment to finding real solutions and acknowledged the necessity of compromises.

More than 3,300 hospital doctors in Slovakia have filed resignation notices to protest the state of healthcare. They have indicated they are prepared to withdraw these notices if the government begins meeting their demands.

Source: TASR