BRATISLAVA – Critics are urging Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas-SD/NI) and Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD/NI) to stop Peter Kotlár, the government’s special envoy for reviewing pandemic management, from spreading disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.

Slovak MP Peter Kotlár (for SNS) is leading a government review of pandemic resource management but has long been known as an antivaxer, who spreads disinformation about the COVID-19, even questioning that Slovakia never had a pandemic but was a victim of “bioterrorism.”

On Thursday, he held a press conference where he claimed that all tested batches of mRNA vaccines contained genetic material capable of modifying human DNA, potentially causing severe illnesses. He called on Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka to take immediate action based on his findings.

Medical experts and opposition politicians strongly criticised Kotlár’s claims.

“It is not true that the genetic information contained in mRNA-based vaccines integrates into our cells,” said infectious disease specialist Peter Sabaka, dismissing Kotlár’s suggestion that vaccinated individuals were “genetically modified.”

He highlighted that clinical studies estimate COVID-19 vaccines saved 1.6 million lives in Europe.

Slovakia’s State Institute for Drug Control (ŠÚKL) stated it could not assess Kotlár’s analysis, as neither the methodology nor results were submitted for review.

“All assessments and analyses conducted on mRNA vaccines by European medicines agencies have confirmed the efficacy, safety and quality,” reacted ŠÚKL spokesperson Martina Štesková.

Opposition MP Oskar Dvořák from leading opposition party Progressive Slovakia (PS/RE) called Kotlár’s statements a misuse of his position.

“He has no evidence and refuses to publish his analyses,” Dvořák said, urging the Health Minister to condemn the remarks as a “grave insult to scientists, healthcare workers, and pandemic victims.”

Opposition party KDH (EPP) called on the prime minister Fico to remove Kotlár from office. The party warned that spreading misinformation about mRNA vaccines could worsen public health crises in the future.

Criticism from President

A day before Kotlár’s press conference, President Peter Pellegrini also spoke out, urging the government to focus on an objective review of pandemic measures rather than conspiracy theories.

“Instead of assessing what (pandemic measures) worked and what didn’t, we are debating whether mRNA vaccines contained chips or whether people will be controlled by aliens. That’s a huge mistake,” the president said.

Kotlár dismissed the criticism, urging Pellegrini to “stop discrediting the work of the government’s special envoy, stop talking about nanochips, and refrain from commenting on topics he does not understand.”

(Natália Silenská | Euractiv.sk)