Beblavy: Forai and Vadura Should Be Punished for VsZP Scandals
Bratislava, July 21 (TASR) – MP Miroslav Beblavy (Independent) called for action and the breaking of a ‘customary rule’ in connection with the so-called Aunt Anka and Kostka Clinic cases when announcing several steps that he intends to take against former heads of state-run health insurer Vseobecna zdravotna poistovna (VsZP) Marcel Forai and Miroslav Vadura.
[A Supreme Audit Office (NKU) audit found that VsZP under its former director Forai gave preferential treatment to companies linked to Forai’s aunt Anna Suckova on several occasions. Meanwhile, VsZP signed a contract with Kostka Clinic in 2011 on providing specialised health care coded under CDT00, which wasn’t procedurally approved. “It thereby acted at odds with the law on the purview of health care,” stated a report in reference to the high-profile case involving massages. – ed. note]
Beblavy said that those responsible for the scandals need to be punished and that they should also pay financial compensation for the damage that they’ve caused.
“It’s important to break a customary rule in Slovakia according to which the relatives of high-ranking state officials can enrich themselves without any punishment, and if the matter comes to light, the highest penalty is temporary dismissal from a post,” said Beblavy, who noted that both NKU and the Healthcare Supervisory Office have confirmed that the two former VsZP bosses engaged in misconduct and unlawful activities.
Beblavy is filing a motion against Vadura with the parliamentary committee for incompatibility of posts. At the same time he appealed to Health Minister Tomas Drucker (a Smer-SD nominee) in connection with Vadura and Forai concerning compensation for damages in the Kostka Clinic case, which reportedly amount to €4.15 million. Beblavy also called on current VsZP chief Miroslav Kocan to sack Vadura, who still works for the health insurance company.
According to Beblavy, Drucker will have to choose whether he wants to maintain his good reputation or live peacefully with “a health-care octopus”. He stressed that contracts with certain firms owned by Forai’s aunt weren’t cancelled when the new management took over VsZP. He’s examining the situation and hasn’t ruled out taking additional steps.
