Government Proxy Kotlar Stands by All His Statements

       Bratislava, 16 October (TASR) - I stand by all my statements, said Government Proxy for Investigating COVID-19 Pandemic Management Peter Kotlar in response to the launch of criminal proceedings over alleged fearmongering with respect to his statements, confirming that the investigation is ongoing.
        "I stand by all the statements I've made so far, including those that were labelled as spreading a fearmongering message," he told a press conference on Thursday, noting that the criminal motion was filed after he presented the conclusions of a forensic expert opinion on COVID-19 vaccines, for which he also approached the Prosecutor-General's Office. He reported that he's already provided testimony regarding this case.
        Kotlar reiterated his concerns about the potential harmfulness of gene therapy, arguing that this wasn't his own invention, but was based on expert opinion. He again appealed to the government to address the issue of the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines as soon as possible. He expressed his belief that the cabinet should reach a clear conclusion on this matter and present it to the public. "So that it can make decisions in the event of further vaccination," he added.
        The government proxy also commented on the analysis of COVID-19 vaccines carried out by the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV), which states that the amount of residual DNA in vaccines complies with standards. Kotlar claimed that it contains fundamental errors. "I'll approach the Prosecutor-General's Office to deal with it," he said. At the press conference, he also asked Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) to provide information on health-care data that, according to him, was saved from deletion in 2023. He's calling for work to begin on this data.
        Kotlar is also asking for more powers. He wants to be allowed to look into medical records and documentation. "The overall report will result from these conclusions," he said, announcing that he'll publish a report on the analysis by 31 January 2026. He declared that he works honestly and conscientiously in the post of government proxy and thanked Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) for his support.
        The Regional Prosecutor's Office in Bratislava on Wednesday (15 October) confirmed the launch of criminal proceedings over alleged fearmongering in connection with Kotlar's statements. The proceedings are ongoing, and no charges have been brought against anyone yet.
        The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party had previously announced that such proceedings had been initiated. It said that the proceedings were being conducted because Kotlar questioned the safety and efficacy of mRNA vaccines. It noted that it had filed a criminal complaint against the proxy back in March.
        Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) has expressed his support for Kotlar, declaring that not even the launch of a criminal investigation will change his stance. He described Kotlar as an honourable and decent person.