Drucker Believes in Agreement with Health Workers,Will Be at Expense of Deficit

(STVR, 'O 5 minut 12', October 13) Speaking on RTVS's discussion programme 'O 5 minut 12' (Five Minutes to Twelve) on Sunday, Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) said that he believes that the government will come up with a compromising proposal for health workers in connection with the draft consolidation measures, which will be good news for Slovakia. However, he pointed to the fact that the compromise would be be at the expense of the deficit. Meanwhile, opposition MP Michal Truban (Progressive Slovakia/PS), also on the show, stated that the consolidation shouldn't have touched the health sector at all, or health professionals should have been invited for negotiations as well. He criticised the whole package, as it will only be paid by ordinary people and entrepreneurs, voicing his hope that President Peter Pellegrini won't sign it. "We have some idea, we are going to negotiate and I believe that we'll come up with a compromising proposal that will mean good news for Slovakia. However, I am telling you that these funds are not covered, which means that it will be at the expense of the deficit for the time being," said Drucker. At the same time, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) will have to come up with recovery measures in the sector, he added. Drucker thinks that Sasko will handle the tasks waiting for him in the sector. "He's a financier and the health-care sector currently needs his perspective," he noted, praising that the new minister wants to monitor cash flows in the sector. Truban reiterated that the most important thing for the new minister is to have the support of the premier and the government, even at difficult times, otherwise he won't be able to negotiate anything. Concerning the recovery measures that Sasko should present, Truban noted that he should at least symbolically start from himself and reduce his salary. The two politicians also touched the issue of the state aid with high energy prices for households. Drucker sees no room for the aid to be provided across the board. He said that Economy Minister Denisa Sakova (Voice-SD) is prepared for a targeted aid, with several scenarios being under discussion. Truban agreed that help should be targeted, criticising the possibility that it might be provided across the board. ko