President recommends to stop the transformation

President Ivan Gašparovič has recommended the Minister of Health Ivan Uhliarik to stop the transformation of hospitals into joint-stock companies. He has recommended Government not to adopt the Certificates of Corporation and to postpone the transformation until the early elections. According to President the public fears that the transformation would lead to privatization and thereby to the abolition of state medical facilities. At the same time he addressed himself to medical trade unions to initiate the withdrawal of physicians’ notices.