Criminal complaint against well known doctor for corruption

Following a televised confession from a prominent Slovak doctor that he readily accepts "gifts" from patients, the political parties NOVA, Ordinary People (OLaNO) and Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) announced at a joint press on Tuesday conference that they are about to file a criminal complaint against the general practitioner in question, Peter Lipták. "Doctor Lipták has confessed that he takes bribes from patients. If they don't give them, tough luck", said Daniel Lipšic (NOVA), adding that Lipták's claim that the money was only gifts doesn't hold up well. "I know many corruption cases in which the accused excuse themselves by claiming that they didn't receive bribes but only sponsorship gifts", said Lipšic. According to OLaNO head Igor Matovič, if Lipták claims that doctors receive money from patients because they don't have enough resources to carry out certain treatments, Lipták should have sold the gifts he received to gain the money for improving health care overall. Lipták himself confessed on Markíza Television's news program that he receives gifts from patients totalling around €5,000 per year. Lipšic at the press conference offered his services as a lawyer to people who are willing to speak publicly about giving a bribe to a doctor, stating that he realises that such people are afraid of criminal proceedings being launched against them. Following the airing of the report, Lipták wrote on his blog that such gifts are a sign of a healthcare system that leaves patients scared of receiving good care, that the money received often goes to save lives, and that the television report was edited in such a manner to portray him in a negative light.