Sasko: Ambulance Service Tender Was Cancelled in Lawful Manner

        Bratislava, 13 August (TASR) - The ambulance service tender was scrapped in a lawful manner, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) stated at a press conference on Wednesday, assuring that the expiring licences for the operation of emergency medical service stations can be extended.
        At the coalition council meeting on Thursday (14 August) he wants to propose that state and public organisations should have the right of first refusal to fill emergency medical service (EMS) ambulances.
        "The ambulance service tender was cancelled and it was cancelled in a lawful manner. Whoever disputes this basic fact is lying, this fact is immutable and this fact is irreversible," stressed Sasko. He acknowledged that there was legal uncertainty in the tender procedure. There was also, he said, an ambiguity in the procedure during the application period, which could have jeopardised the transparency of the whole process.
        The minister went on to say that the tender evaluation report, which was sent to the ministry by the Emergency Medical Service Operation Centre (OS ZZS), had serious shortcomings. "Both procedural and legal, that the Health Ministry simply returned it to the centre. ... This attempt at a final report simply didn't respect the situation that, for example, one of the bidders withdrew, and this even before the report was delivered to me," he stated, adding that since the tender has been scrapped, its results are "irrelevant", and therefore he won't inform about them or the exact composition of the committee.
        Sasko announced that there will be a new process, in which everyone will be able to apply again, but he certainly doesn't foresee the announcement of a new competition before the end of August. "A new tender won't happen before August 29 because it would have to be launched under the current, unacceptable conditions," he said, adding that he can lawfully extend the licences of the four stations whose licences are due to expire on that date until a comprehensive solution is ready. Therefore, he said, no one needs to worry about an ambulance not arriving in their town or village in time.
        At the coalition council on Thursday, he also wants to initiate a debate on the preferential right of state and public organisations to provide ambulances. Private companies will only be able to compete for those ambulances that these organisations will not have the interest or capacity to take. However, he said public procurement must be more transparent and regulated in law. "We are working intensively on this legal change, which must adjust many other imperfections that have also become apparent during this process," he noted.
        OS ZZS on Wednesday scrapped the tender aimed at evaluating applications to operate ambulance service stations. A total of 351 ambulance stations were in the frame. This was preceded by criticism from both the opposition and the coalition Slovak National Party (SNS). On Friday, 8 August, the opposition parties tabled a no-confidence motion in Sasko in Parliament.