The Department of Defense has suspended the construction of a military hospital in Prešov. The reason is the quality control of the execution of work on the load-bearing elements of the building. This was stated at a press conference by Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák (Smer), who also admitted the postponement of the completion date for the construction of the hospital.
30.04.2026 12:23 , updated: 14:32
“After the competition that was organized, the winner was the competitor who not only started to fall into delays, but above all, we found out during regular inspections that very poor quality work was provided, which is such that it threatens the statics and stability of the building itself,” outlined the minister. According to him, it was therefore necessary to interrupt construction and start expert findings. Subsequently, he announces the drawing of consequences.
The experts have to find out whether the problematic parts of the building can be repaired or demolished and built anew. He could not yet estimate the extent of the damage. “We can estimate that fundamental damage was caused to us, but we will know how we will fix the extent after the expert examination, which we could have in the course of the next week, I suppose,” explained Kaliňák.
The area is guarded by the military police
As for the relationship with the contractor, there are several alternatives for solving the situation. “He can continue after he submits certain guarantees that he knows how to continue in terms of quality and time horizon. The contract may be canceled, there may be some replacements. There are possibilities for us to remove a part, not just the entire building. I think that the management that is dedicated to this building aims to have it finished as soon as possible and continue,” Kaliňák explained.
At the same time, he allowed the postponement of the construction completion date. “I think we will be able to say what the time schedule will be like in June, when we will have implemented the solution and the building will start working again,” Kaliňák said.
The construction area is currently guarded by the military police. According to Kaliňák, the reason is that the expert assessment is adequate and no one interferes with the performance of actions important for the assessment of the next procedure.
To the question of the alleged non-payment of invoices to subcontractors, the minister replied that this topic was not on the table. “We are not responsible for investigating this completely. But the truth is that we already know about it. So we want to talk to the subcontractors so that we can continue with them, so that they feel comfortable, because that is important to us. The truth is that these companies, or at least one of them, are bypassed by such a reputation,” added the head of the Ministry of Defense.
Earlier on Thursday, KDH member František Majerský also spoke about the fact that the project of a new military hospital in Prešov faces serious complications. He stated that there was a complete stop to the construction work. The reason is supposed to be non-fulfillment of deadlines by the contractor, but also unpaid invoices.
According to the statement of Deputy Majerský, the Hungarian-Slovak consortium, which is responsible for the implementation of this strategic project, should have been reported directly from construction sites. The reason is supposed to be repeated non-compliance with the contractually agreed deadlines.
“According to our information, construction work has stopped new hospitalin Prešov,” said Majerský on the social network.
In addition to the time slippage, there are also suspicions of financial problems within the supply chain. The subcontractors themselves started drawing attention to the situation, who claim that they have not been paid for the work already done. According to their statements, they register several unpaid invoices after the due date.
Since it is about project under the auspices of the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic, the situation causes political pressure. František Majerský therefore officially called on the head of the department to shed light on the situation.
Highlights of the challenge:
- Promptly informing the public about the current status of the project.
- Explanation of the reasons why the consortium did not meet the deadlines.
- Solving the situation with unpaid subcontractors.
The new hospital in Prešov is to be a key medical hub not only for the needs of the army, but also for the civilian population of eastern Slovakia. Any delay may have a negative impact on the availability of modern healthcare in the region.
