New information surfaces on controversial medical equipment tenders

In 2011, Žilina regional authorities decided to buy two CT scanners for hospitals in Trstená and Liptovský Mikuláš, with the total price being more than €800,000 higher than normal, said Independent MP Miroslav Beblavý at a press conference on Monday. According to him four applicants submitted bids, one of which was eventually excluded, while the most expensive offer was selected as the winner. The winning bid of INTES Poprad led to two contracts: one for two CT scanners worth a total of €790,000 with VAT in December 2011, and another, two months later, concerning post-warranty servicing. The scanners had warranties of two years. "The Žilina regional authority immediately ordered servicing for another five years and the entire seven years of these two machines from INTES in operation will cost €2.27 million," said Beblavý. Meanwhile, Siemens wanted €1.44 million for the two scanners, but post-warranty servicing would have cost a mere 1 cent per year. S&T Slovakia wanted €1.63 million for the two pieces of equipment, but its servicing was also set at only 1 cent per year. When compared to the cheapest bid, taxpayers paid €825,000 extra, added Beblavý. Žilina regional governor Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) reacted by saying that the two CT scanners were bought in an electronic auction, which is the most transparent method of public procurement, and the price of €1.136 million per unit was far lower than what was paid at the time by hospitals in Žilina, Trenčín and Šamorín (Trnava region), for example. "The tender was carried out in 2011, when Mr. Beblavý was a member of the then governing coalition and was supervising all tenders related to health care. This case was again raised in the 2013 regional election campaign, when I explained all the details of this tender," said Blanar.