KBS: Decent People Suppressed and Intimidated in Health Care Debate

Bratislava, January 25 (TASR) – The Catholic Church on Monday levelled criticism about the current state of affairs in health care, as the Church doesn’t take kindly to how nurses taking part in mass resignations are being treated and is thus asking Prime Minister Robert Fico and Health Minister Viliam Cislak to put and end to it.

“Address the rightful demands of nurses to cure Slovak health care without delay”, was the message conveyed to Government, TASR has learnt.
“Instead of a matter-of-fact dialogue and search for workable solutions to snowballing problems, we’re bearing witness to the arrogance of power, suppression and intimidation of decent people who have mustered up the courage to become publicly involved,” wrote Slovak Bishops Conference council chair Milan Lach in his press release. He added that the people involved don’t pursue politics but the well-being of all Slovak citizens, who are entitled to “accessible health care of an adequate quality”.
Lach is also sending out a message to representatives of “financial and other structures who bear the real blame for current problems and who clandestinely control Slovak health care”. “Stop seeing the Slovak people only as a source of enrichment and easy profit,” said Lach, adding that an opportunity has now shaped up for these structures to support goodness and dignified life in Slovakia.
“We’ll be glad to prove with facts that no collapse of health care is imminent,” TASR was told by Health Ministry spokesman Peter Bubla in response. Bubla added that the ministry is not opposed to meeting with Lach if the Church is interested.