BRATISLAVA, January 10, (WEBNOVINY) — The plan to enact a law that would give the government the right to end a strike of health care workers in case that it threatens citizens‘ lives and health is facing opposition from doctors. The change is to be introduced in the Cabinet-approved draft amendment to the law on health care providers as of April 1 that still needs parliament’s approval. The Slovak Medical Chamber has been protesting since the beginning against the prepared regulation. It has now turned to President Ivan Gasparovic with its protest. In their letter, doctors urge the head of state to „withdraw his approval for the Cabinet to submit the aforementioned draft amendment, based on his new powers he gained after the collapse of the government last October.“
It is not clear yet how the president will react to the letter from the chamber. His spokesman Marek Trubac said that they got the letter on December 27 and it is in the hands of president’s lawyers at the moment. Trubac however underscored that even after some of its powers have been restricted, the Cabinet still can submit draft bills to parliament without the president’s previous consent.
Doctors do not like about the amendment that it was approved without a preceding interdepartmental review and considers this an act of revenge on all health workers. They further argue that the amendment is an inappropriate intervention in health care workers‘ right to perform their profession. They mainly protest against several sanctions for a single violation of the law. They found it unjust as well that a doctor who ignores a strike ban can be banned from executing his profession for ten years.
The Cabinet approved the draft amendment in mid-December in reaction to the crisis in Slovak state-run hospitals when some 1,300 doctors went on strike and the hospitals were unable to secure even urgent health care. The government and trade unionists were not able to agree on four doctors‘ demands and thus a state of emergency was declared in thirteen districts. However, many doctors did not come to work even after then. Ultimately, the trade unions ended the strike since the government fulfilled all of their demands.
SITA