BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — On Wednesday, legislators in Slovakia’s parliament endorsed a controversial law designed by the administration of Prime Minister Robert Fico, which could essentially prohibit medical professionals from protesting against inadequate wages and compel them to remain in their positions.

The National Council, comprising 150 members, voted 74-70 in favor of this legislation, which was introduced amid a looming threat of mass resignations by over 3,000 doctors from the nation’s hospitals, who have indicated their intention to leave their jobs at the start of the upcoming year.

This new law empowers the government to declare a state of emergency if there’s a risk that healthcare services could become unavailable. In such instances, doctors will be required to continue their duties, as any resignation notices they submit will be disregarded. Noncompliance could lead to imprisonment, as the government aims to prevent a potential collapse of the healthcare system.

The emergency provisions outlined in the legislation can remain in effect for a maximum of 120 days. Health Minister Kamil Šaško expressed during the parliamentary discussions that he hopes to never be compelled to activate this controversial measure, which has drawn significant criticism from labor unions representing medical staff.

Medical professionals have voiced their discontent, arguing that the government failed to engage with them regarding cuts to a previously established plan from 2022, which aimed to increase their salaries over a two-year timeline.

These funding cuts are part of broader austerity efforts introduced by the government to manage the escalating budget deficit.