PM: Slovakia Won't Accept Anti-COVID Vaccines until SAV Analysis Completed

Bratislava, April 23 (TASR) - Until the quantitative analysis of COVID-19 vaccine samples for the presence of DNA and other substances is completed, Slovakia will stop accepting agreed deliveries of vaccines against COVID-19, said Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) following the cabinet session on Wednesday in connection with the government's resolution on the analysis. Based on an agreement signed by the government of Ludovit Odor in May 2023, Slovakia should accept some 300,000 more vaccine doses worth approximately €5.7 million, said Fico. "Given that we have an opinion from a registered expert who points to an excessive amount of DNA and other substances in the vaccines used in Slovakia, I view the decision to suspend receipt of them as correct," stressed Fico. He declined to estimate the time frame necessary for preparing the analysis, and thus the length of the suspension. The government on Wednesday tasked Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) with asking the Biomedical Centre of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) as soon as possible to prepare a comprehensive report on a quantitative analysis for the presence of DNA and other substances in selected retention batches of vaccines used against COVID-19 in Slovakia. At the same time, the centre should draw up an expert opinion on the impact of substances present in the human body. The cabinet also tasked Government Proxy for Investigating COVID-19 Pandemic Management Peter Kotlar with submitting a report by June 30 on the results of his probe into the procedures followed when managing resources during the pandemic. ko/df