Health Ministry: We're Continuing Negotiations with LOZ to Reach Agreement

Bratislava, December 3 (TASR) - The Health Ministry is still negotiating with the medical trade union (LOZ), stating that it aims to reach an agreement, while refusing to say whether it's planning to introduce a state of emergency due to doctors' resignations, TASR has learnt from the ministry's communications department. "The Health Ministry's top priority is to ensure reconciliation and to keep doctors in the health-care system. Negotiations with LOZ representatives are ongoing. All of the ministry's steps are aimed at reaching a compromise and agreement with LOZ representatives so that health care will be provided in a standard way as of January," stated ministry. The ministry declared that its primary task for the time being is to reach a consensus. "Once a joint agreement is reached, the minister will inform the public and the media about the details. As announced, he will present the health-care plan after the tripartite meeting for the sector scheduled for Monday, December 9," added the communications department. More than 3,300 doctors from hospitals across Slovakia have already filed resignation notices in a show of displeasure with the situation prevailing in health care. They are willing to withdraw them if the government starts meeting their demands. They first and foremost insist that the points of a memorandum from 2022 should be met. lin/df/am