The criticised fire engine recently delivered to firefighters is a prototype, and operational testing is necessary to ensure that rescue services receive reliable vehicles fit for real-world use, the Interior Ministry stated on Monday.
The ministry expects the delivery of additional vehicles in the coming weeks, with all previously identified deficiencies resolved.
Ministry spokesperson Matej Neumann said this in response to a call from the opposition 'Slovakia' party to terminate the fire engine procurement contract.
According to Neumann, the first of the vehicles will be presented to the public on Wednesday (September 10th).
"Regarding the procurement, it should be noted that the company called LRK Trading was admitted to the tender back in 2022, during the tenure of then-interior minister Roman Mikulec (2020-23). The company met all legal conditions and was therefore not excluded — not even at that time," stated Neumann.
"Our procurement process made the price differences clear: the lowest bid was approximately €38 million, while the highest was around €50 million. That's a €12-million difference, which speaks for itself," he added.
The opposition 'Slovakia' party is urging Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok (Hlas–SD) to cancel the contract with the supplier, arguing that the vehicles do not meet quality standards and that only one fire engine has been delivered so far.
Source: TASR
