On Monday the Slovak Catholic Church levelled criticism about the current state of affairs in the healthcare sector, mainly about how nurses taking part in mass resignations protest for better pay are being treated. The Bishops Conference asked Prime Minister Robert Fico and Health Minister Viliam Čislák to put an end to it. "Instead of a matter-of-fact dialogue and search for workable solutions to snowballing problems, we're bearing witness to the arrogance of power, suppression and intimidation of decent people who have mustered up the courage to become publicly involved", wrote Slovak Bishops Conference Council Chair Milan Lach in an official press release. He added that the people involved don't pursue political goals but the well-being of all Slovak citizens, who are entitled to "accessible health care of an adequate quality". Lach is also sending out a message to representatives of "financial and other structures who bear the real blame for current problems and who clandestinely control Slovak healthcare".
The Health Ministry reacted by saying it could meet the Church representatives to discuss the issues raised by Bishops Conference. "We'll be glad to prove with facts that no collapse of health care is imminent", said Health Ministry spokesman Peter Bubla quoted by TASR press agency.
