The financial group Penta, which operates a network of hospitals, has strongly condemned the antitrust office for its investigation into potential collusion with another hospital group named Agel. This investigation, which has been underway since 2024, centers around allegations that Penta Hospitals and Agel conspired to fix prices while negotiating with the largest state health insurance provider, Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa. The antitrust office is currently under significant pressure, facing 13 lawsuits and criminal complaints directed at its employees concerning the investigation into the hospital cartel, particularly from Penta's side.

The antitrust office has expressed that the various legal actions and controls imposed by the investigated parties have severely drained its resources. The office's officials stated that when they need to prepare materials for court or other public institutions, they have less capacity to make progress on the investigation itself. This situation underscores the challenges faced by the office in executing its mandate, especially under the scrutiny of significant legal pushback from powerful entities like Penta.

In response to the investigation, Penta's spokesperson, Tomáš Kráľ, accused the antitrust office of conducting what he termed a 'fishing expedition', indicating that the inspections carried out in October 2024 were excessive and unfounded. This rhetoric indicates Penta's determination to challenge the investigation's legitimacy while highlighting a broader tension between powerful financial interests and regulatory bodies tasked with ensuring fair competition in the healthcare sector.