Conspiracists are claiming without evidence that a recent assassination attempt on Slovakia’s prime minister is related to his opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and the WHO pandemic treaty. A U.S. congressperson and other high-profile figures shared a viral post that falsely claims that the prime minister made a speech questioning COVID-19 vaccine safety and rejecting the WHO pandemic treaty a week before his assassination attempt.
Responding to every conspiracy theory may detract from priority talking points. If required, debunking messaging may emphasize that the circulating clip is not from the week before the prime minister’s shooting but from November 2023. There is no evidence to support the conspiracy theories that the prime minister was targeted due to his stance on COVID-19 vaccines or to the pandemic treaty. The politician has publicly opposed the pandemic response for years, including intentionally breaking Slovakia’s COVID-19 lockdown guidelines in 2021. The WHO pandemic accord is a voluntary agreement between nations to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics and global health emergencies.
