Bill blocking transformation of hospitals voted down

The Chamber of Deputies has voted down a bill aimed at blocking the transformation of teaching hospitals into joint-stock companies. The proposal was put forward by shadow health minister David Rath. It was voted down by a narrow majority, although two government MPs – Věra Jakubková and Olga Zubová, both from the Green Party, voted in favour. Prior to the move, Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek promised that neither the health ministry nor the government would transform the hospitals into joint-stock firms. But the opposition Social Democrats and the Communists insisted that the vote go ahead.