Yesterday the Constitutional Court ruled much of the legislation adopted by the former government as unconstitutional, including the law prohibiting health insurance companies from making profit.
In its judgement yesterday, the Constitutional Court ruled that the legislation introduced by the former government of Robert Fico in 2007 and endorsed by President Ivan Gasparovic, banning health insurers from making profit from public health insurance, is against the Slovak Constitution.
The court has called on the government to rectify the situation or the respective legislation will lose force.
In response to this ruling and another on the unlawful expropriation of land for motorway construction, finance minister Ivan Miklos said that this shows clearly that former PM Robert Fico is not only a coward and a weakling, but also a rubbish lawyer.
Robert Fico was requested by parliamentary chairman Richard Sulik to defend the state before the Constitutional Court in respect of the legislation, but he declined. Miklos says Fico is afraid of defending the decisions passed by his government.
Three private health insurance companies have been threatening to sue the country over the disputed law, and the dispute has already cost the state over EUR 11 million in legal fees. Now the health insurers will once again be able to enjoy profit and pay out dividends to their shareholders.
The government welcomed this verdict and the other on expropriation of land, both of which were ruled as unconstitutional and in violation of fundamental rights.