Michelko Expects Agreement between Sasko and Health Professionals by October 15

(STVR, 'Sobotne dialogy', October 12) Speaking on STVR's politics programme 'Sobotne dialogy' (Saturday Dialogues), MP Roman Michelko (Slovak National Party/SNS) said that he expects new Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) to come to agreement with health professionals on draft consolidation measures by October 15. In case that the agreement is reached, Michelko expects President Peter Pellegrini to sign the consolidation package. Meanwhile, his opponent on the show, opposition MP Irena Bihariova (Progressive Slovakia/PS) said that her party will appeal on the head of the state not to sign the package. "The minister unambiguously said that by October 15, when the state budget draft should be completed and advanced to Parliament, he wants to hold any possible negotiations in order to accommodate demands of trade unions and make doctors stay in Slovakia," said Michelko, noting that the president's signature under the consolidation package was conditioned by these negotiations. "I think that the minister is going in this direction, so I expect the agreement by October 15 and see no reason [for the president] not to sign it. If trade unions come to agreement with the minister, the president will sign it," he said. Michelko sees no problem in the fact that Sasko isn't a doctor. "The health-care sector isn't suffering from medical, but above all economic problems," he noted. According to Bihariova, it doesn't matter so much what kind of education the minister has, but whether he enjoys the support of Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD). "He should knock on the premier's doors and agree on guarantees of support and prioritisation with him, as if he doesn't have them, then that knock could be the last one," stated Bihariova. Michelko doesn't expect any further changes in ministerial posts in the near future. Bihariova opines that replacements in some posts would be well-founded. However, she doesn't expect them to happen based on ministers' own self-reflection. The coalition and the opposition MPs disagreed in the opinion on Fico's statements on journalists. While Michelko hasn't condemned Fico for his statements, as he thinks that the premier didn't cross the red line, Bihariova opines that Fico "overstepped the red line by several miles". Nevertheless, Michalko doesn't view it realistic that only those who studied journalism would work as journalists. Bihariova opposes the initiative to establish the authority to regulate journalists' work. According to her, the current Media Service Council has sufficient powers in this field. ko