SNS MP Peter Kotlár. (source: TASR)
On Thursday, Slovak National Party (SNS) MP and known anti-vaxxer Peter Kotlár was appointed as the government's official proxy to lead the inquiry into the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a motion filed by Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer), the task of the proxy will be "to carry out coordination tasks aimed at assessing and analysing the lawfulness, economic efficiency, purpose and efficacy of measures approved in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-22." The motion goes on to assert that the management of pandemic measures was characterised by failures to protect basic rights and freedoms.
Kotlár's goal will be to ensure that "similar failures by the state" do not happen again.
In previous comments to disinformation media that would seem to prejudge the outcome of his investigation, Kotlár said that he wants to examine whether measures to contain the pandemic "were not a crime against humanity, threatening the health of our citizens (we already know today that it was!)". At the same time he wants to investigate the media, public figures and politicians "involved in propaganda with the aim of attaining a result that today can be considered a crime".
Kotlár has long been involved in the internet video streaming operation TV Slovan, which propagates distorted claims and hoaxes. Speaking on air, he claimed that he had never been vaccinated, even though he was a health professional. Neither of his children have been vaccinated.
Culture Minister Martina Šimkovičová has also presented her views on the channel.
The opposition Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) called Kotlár a conspirator. The party says that although certain things would now, with the benefit of hindsight, be done differently, the country was caught off guard in 2020 and did as much as possible for patients. The KDH agrees that Slovakia should return to the issue, but that the goal should be to prepare for similar crisis events in the future.
"To investigate the pandemic, Slovakia does not need Mr Kotlár, who wants to examine the presence of microparticles and microchips in the vaccines," the party said.
Progresívne Slovensko MP Oskar Dvořák said that he expects Kotlár to continue to spread disinformation.
