Ministers discuss health care worker shortage

Slovakia's critical shortage of health care workers is one of the pressing issues to be discussed at Wednesday's government meeting, coming hot on the heels of an analysis by the Health Ministry's analytical unit which stated that hospitals in Slovakia are lacking some 1,020 nurses. One of the solutions proposed by the Health and Education Ministries is a bonus of €2,000 per student for each academic year, given on the condition that they will work as nurses in Slovakia after the conclusion of their studies for at least 9 years. The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs also intends to present a draft European issues information system, intended to improve inter-ministerial coordination when preparing opinions on draft EU acts. Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš will also present an updated plan of foreign exercises of the Slovak Armed Forces for the second half of this year.