Sasko: Slovakia Could Create Sixth European Institution to Verify Vaccines

(TA3, 'V politike', May 11) Slovakia could form the sixth institution in Europe authorized to certify vaccines, seeing as investments were made into new laboratory equipment for an analysis of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, conducted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV), and the country also boasts top-level scientists, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) stated on TA3's discussion programme 'V politike' (In Politics) on Sunday. Sasko emphasized that the aim of the analysis is to present the facts transparently to the public. “Vaccine certification or verification in Europe is currently handled by specific authorized institutions. There are only five laboratories in all of Europe capable of giving that symbolic official stamp,” the minister explained, adding that Slovakia could potentially join their ranks. He admitted he has not yet seen the report by Government Proxy Peter Kotlar, who was tasked with reviewing pandemic resource management, but stressed that people deserve clear answers and facts. Sasko acknowledged that a large part of the public trusts what he considers misinformation. “The best response is to put scientific facts on the table and give clear answers, because people — whether they believe or not — are interested in whether these vaccines have any impact on human health,” he added, noting that the SAV analysis will provide definitive evidence. Regarding Prime Minister Robert Fico’s (Smer-SD) visit to Moscow, Sasko described it as a party-related activity undertaken in his role as party leader. He expressed his view that it would have been preferable if Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) had attended the May 9 meeting of EU foreign ministers in Lviv, Ukraine. mf