President Urges Gov't to Start Dialogue with Health Personnel

Bratislava, October 8 (TASR) - President Peter Pellegrini urged the government on Tuesday to start talks with disgruntled health personnel on the planned consolidation measures, as his decision on whether or not he vetoes the consolidation bill will hinge on the outcome of those talks. Pellegrini said this after his meeting with representatives of the health sector, who he claimed had asked him not to sign the consolidation bill in its current form. "I gave them - as the people who care for the health of the Slovak people and serve every day by the patients' beds or in outpatient departments - a promise that I will monitor very closely, until the very last day of the time I have left as the President to sign or veto the bill, whether or not intense talks with the Slovak Government are underway and whether or not a compromise to ameliorate the situation is found and based on that I will make my final decision," claimed Pellegrini. The head of state called on the government to seek a deal with the health personnel. "In case this won't happen and the tension in the society continues or even grows, I will be forced to take that into account in my definitive decision whether or not I veto some part of the bill," he said, while asking the health personnel to be forthcoming and willing to seek a compromise. mf/mcs