"Covid-19 is a military operation by the West" was the title of one of “The Editors' Club's” segments aired on “Belarus 1” TV channel on November 22, 2024. While discussing the topic with his guests, Belteleradiocompany chairman Ivan Eismont revealed who was behind the coronavirus pandemic.
"In November 2024, the Dutch Minister of Health admitted: Covid-19 is a military operation. Let's check out a few statements and then draw a conclusion from them."
Next, an excerpt from the speech by the Dutch Minister of Health Fleur Agema was shown. The video was overdubbed with an alleged translation into Russian saying:
"We must follow the orders of NATO, the United States, and the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism. Covid-19 is a military operation. And the current pandemic preparedness is a military operation that has nothing to do with healthcare in the traditional sense of the word."
The WTF team found the source footage. It shows the Dutch parliamentary debates in late October 2024 where the budget of the Ministry of Health for the next year was being discussed. Fleur Agema spoke about the need to reduce the cost of the pandemic preparedness program.
We found the exact moment that was shown in "The Editors' Club" and asked a Dutch translator to verify what was actually being discussed.
"I have already explained this to you in the answer to the previous question. In recent weeks, I have been told several times that I had changed my mind. That has never been true. However, it is worth noting that the task that I received upon my appointment does not correspond to what I said about it earlier," Fleur Agema said.
We also studied the full transcript of the debate, available on the Dutch Parliament's official website. The Minister did speak about Covid-19 and NATO but in a different context. The official proposed cutting the pandemic spending, but other debate participants disagreed. Among the reasons for the proposed cuts, the Minister cited: the reallocation of funds to fulfill NATO commitments for defense investments, and threats on the Alliance's eastern border that require readiness.
