Good to have you on board! Here’s your latest Today in Slovakia – Thursday’s top news, all in one place.
Orthopaedist’s secret report on Covid-19 vaccines
Coronavirus pandemic investigator and MP Peter Kotlár (SNS) at a press conference on the results of an analysis of Covid-19 vaccine batches used in Slovakia on March 13, 2025, in Bratislava. (source: TASR - Jakub Kotian)
Robert Fico’s government-appointed investigator into Slovakia’s Covid-19 response, Peter Kotlár, has ignited fresh controversy over mRNA vaccines, claiming they contain genetic material capable of altering human DNA.
“This is not a vaccine—we can officially call it gene therapy,” Kotlár declared at a press conference on Thursday. He went further, accusing Pfizer and Moderna of turning vaccinated individuals into “genetically modified organisms” and treating people “like corn”.
Kotlár, an MP and orthopaedic surgeon, argued that mRNA vaccines increase the risk of cancer, calling for an immediate ban.
Widely dismissed as a conspiracy theorist, Kotlár insists his claims are backed by analyses of vaccine batches used in Slovakia. “This isn’t some orthopaedist’s report—it comes from a leading European analytical centre,” he said. However, he refused to reveal the source of the analysis or how it was conducted. Challenged by journalists on whether his findings could be replicated, Kotlár bristled.
“They’ve turned you into corn. Wake up, media included,” he snapped.
Secret findings: Citing “security reasons”, Kotlár said he would disclose details of the vaccine analysis only to Slovakia’s General Prosecutor, Maroš Žilinka. Žilinka confirmed that he would meet Kotlár next week. Kotlár also voiced distrust in parts of Slovakia’s justice system and said he had shared his findings with U.S. health and justice authorities, the FBI, and representatives of other nations. “Many are waiting for my official report before conducting their own analyses,” he added. The U.S. health department is led by vaccine sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Targeting Slovakia’s drug regulator: Kotlár directed much of his ire at the State Institute for Drug Control (ŠÚKL), accusing it of “injecting toxic substances into human beings”. He claimed the agency had failed to conduct its own safety assessments and instead “blindly followed the barking of the European Medicines Agency”. ŠÚKL rejected the allegations, noting that Kotlár had neither provided his own analysis nor disclosed his methodology.
The headquarters building of the State Institute for Drug Control. (source: TASR - Martin Baumann)
Alleged conspiracy: Kotlár also hinted at a global plot involving pharmaceutical companies, the World Health Organization and world leaders—but stopped short of explaining their supposed motives. Still, he took comfort in one thing: “Robert Fico and the U.S. are listening to me—and that makes me happy.” So far, he has not shared the results of his analysis with Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Kotlár’s feud with Pellegrini: Slovakia’s pandemic investigator criticised President Peter Pellegrini, accusing him of undermining his work. “I call on him to stop discrediting the government commissioner, to stop talking about nanochips, and to avoid commenting on topics he does not understand,” Kotlár said. At a press conference, Kotlár admitted he is not a scientist. “I simply repeat what experts have explained to me,” he said. Pellegrini, who had criticised Kotlár earlier, claimed the commissioner was focused on “everything except what he should be”. He called for an analysis of early pandemic measures, including mass testing. “If Kotlár presented such findings, I would applaud him. What he has delivered so far is weak,” he added.
Kotlár won’t do his job: Tasked with reviewing pandemic management, Kotlár now insists his remit covers only medical aspects. He slammed the Fico government for fixating on finances while ignoring “serious issues”. When journalists noted his mandate includes resource oversight, he snapped: “I don’t care what the government expected of me.”
Time to go: Opposition parties are calling on Health Minister Kamil Šaško (Hlas) and Prime Minister Robert Fico to stop Kotlár’s vaccine misinformation. KDH stressed that scientists have already debunked his claims. “Hoaxer Peter Kotlár is a serious threat as an adviser to anyone—let alone our government,” said Slovensko MP and former health minister Marek Krajčí. Progressive Slovakia MP Oskar Dvořák called Kotlár’s actions an insult to scientists, healthcare workers, and pandemic victims.
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SLOVAK MATTERS
How to make an exit in Slovak
Slovak matters is a column devoted to helping ex-pats and foreigners understand the beautiful but difficult Slovak language. (source: Freepik)
From “I’m falling” to “twitch your leg”, the Slovak language has colourful ways to end a conversation–or cut one short. Whether you are dodging small talk or telling someone to back off, local expressions range from the poetic to the downright blunt. Mastering them might just save you from an awkward goodbye.
ARTISTS’ REVOLT
Artists stage relay protest over National Gallery leadership crisis
A relay protest outside Bratislava’s Slovak National Gallery (source: Facebook - Otvorená kultúra/Šimon Lupták and Adam Šakový)
Leading Slovak visual artists, including Ivana Šáteková, Erik Šille, András Cséfalvay, and others, have announced a relay protest outside the National Gallery (SNG). They accuse the government of gutting the institution following the dismissal of former director Alexandra Kusá last summer.
“Culture is not a political toy to be controlled without those who create it,” the artists stated on Tuesday, March 11. As artists announced their protest outside the gallery, the current director had already ordered its closure to the public.
The protest, running from March 12 to April 8, will see artists and their supporters take turns demonstrating during gallery opening hours. Their demands include a transparent selection process for the SNG director and the resignation of Culture Ministry officials Martina Šimkovičová and Lukáš Machala.
IN OTHER NEWS
Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba (SNS) has ordered a commission to reassess the protected status of various animals and plants, as well as the enforcement of fines. He insists the approach should be “reasonable, not a tool for harassing citizens”.
Customs officers detained a lorry carrying mulch at the Vyšné Nemecké crossing on Thursday after radiation detectors flagged elevated levels. According to the eastern Slovak daily Korzár, the source was likely wood from the Chernobyl area. Authorities said the readings posed no risk to public health.
Seven percent of Slovakia’s population faces severe transport poverty, with nearly half of municipalities in Prešov and Banská Bystrica Regions affected. The most at-risk areas include Gemer, Upper Zemplín, and northern Šariš, as well as some western municipalities with long travel times. Even towns near district centres struggle with limited public transport connections, according to an analysis by the Institute for Environmental Policy (IEP), “No Car, No Bus”.
Philippine police discovered the body of 23-year-old Slovak woman Michaela M. in an abandoned chapel on Boracay island on Wednesday, March 12. Missing since March 10, she was allegedly raped and murdered, according to reports from ABS-CBN and GMA Network. Michaela arrived on March 1 with another Slovak but stayed in a separate hotel.
Ticket fees at railway stations are unfair and discriminate against those without online access, say opposition MPs Richard Dubovický and Martin Pekár (Progressive Slovakia). They have filed a complaint with the Transport Authority to investigate ZSSK’s new service charges.
Most Smer voters believe Robert Fico’s claim that the EU interferes in democracy and elections. Over half think Brussels annuls election results in member states if pro-EU candidates or parties lose, an Ipsos poll for CEDMO found.
Protest of the Slovak Trade Union of Healthcare and Social Services in Bratislava on March 13, 2025 (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
Slovensko MPs are filing a complaint with the parliamentary ethics committee over Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák’s (Smer) assets. The opposition is also gathering signatures for his dismissal after he failed to declare his wife’s house in Croatia.
Economists have long called for targeted energy aid, but the state lacked the data to identify the most vulnerable households. That could now change. On Wednesday, the government approved a law to create such a database. However, experts warn the plan is unrealistic, requiring the state to process millions of data points.
Slovakia’s first retail bond offering sold out €500 million in just 3.5 days, exceeding expectations. The scheme, now set to continue in future years, attracted 21,200 investors, with an average investment of €22,600. Most buyers invested between €4,000 and €10,000.
FRIDAY WEATHER BRIEFING: Expect overcast to heavily clouded conditions with rain or showers, turning to snow at higher altitudes. Daytime temperatures will range from 7°C to 12°C, but could climb to 12°C to 17°C in Šariš, Zemplín, and Abov. A mostly southerly breeze will reach up to 25 km/h. (SHMÚ)
A blooming Cornelian cherry shrub in the village of Podhorany, Nitra district, on March 13, 2025. (source: TASR - Henrich Mišovič)
HAPPY NAME DAY: March 14 is a special day for Matilda, so if you know one, don’t forget to send your warmest wishes. Všetko najlepšie!
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