Czech Republic may endorse Slovak bid to host European Medicines Agency

The Czech Republic may endorse Slovakia's bid to become the new home of the European Medicines Agency (EMA), head of the Czech Parliament's health care committee Rostislav Vyzula said in Bratislava on Tuesday. Slovakia officially submitted its candidacy to host the agency in a letter that Prime Minister Robert Fico sent to European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker last Friday. Vyzula, who was in Bratislava to meet Slovak MPs to discuss issues faced by the health care sectors of the two countries, said that the Czech Republic "isn't aiming to host the EMA, because it's pursuing other interests". "Slovakia should become the EMA's new home, it ticks all the boxes. In addition, no EU agency is currently based in Slovakia, and I'd be happy to see the agency hosted so close to the Czech Republic," said Vyzula. He noted that he'd met several ambassadors of countries that have also joined the race to host the agency. Head of the Slovak Parliament's health care committee Štefan Zelník said that Slovakia would embrace backing from other countries. He added that Slovakia has what it takes to become the EMA's host when the EU agency relocates from its current headquarters in London. Health Minister Tomáš Drucker said that Austria, too, could endorse Slovakia's candidacy, unless Austria is successful with its own bid.