Is the European Union planning to ban the repair of cars older than 15 years? No, that's not true: On July 23, 2023, the European Commission announced a proposal for a regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and on the management of end-of-life vehicles. That would apply to vehicles reaching end-of-life stage (ELVs) and not to cars older than…

Does a video circulating on social media show how a microchip is removed from under the skin? No, that's not true: The video is an excerpt from a Netflix show called "Magic for Humans," in which magician and comedian Justin Willman convinces three people that the government has implanted a microchip under their skin, and agrees to "remove" it. The…

Did Croatia Airlines install a system for releasing chemtrails from its planes without the knowledge of the public? No, that's not true: The 2015 article on which the claim is based is satirical, with a disclaimer at the end. Croatia Airlines denied the claim in a written statement in 2020. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok…

Are newborn children in Serbia being "vaccinated with two doses immediately after birth" without their parents' knowledge or approval? No, that's not true: In Serbia, vaccinations against certain infectious diseases are mandatory by law. Newborns are vaccinated against tuberculosis and Hepatitis B. Public awareness of mandatory vaccination is widespread, and Serbian law also requires public health institutes to inform health…

Is the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil causing systemic autoimmune disorder in young girls due to the aluminum adjuvant it contains? No, that's not true: The safety of the vaccine is rigorously monitored by both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to the European Medicines Agency, there is no credible evidence…

Did the Croatian President Zoran Milanović state that the Republic of Croatia plans on occupying Russia? No, that's not true: In 2022, Zoran Milanović made a satirical comment about the Croatian Electricity Company (HEP) and gas prices, saying that it's time to overrun Moscow in order to settle the matter with gas prices. His comment was a joke, not an…

Does George Soros finance the Croatian parliamentary party Možemo! (We Can!)? No, that's not true: Croatian law prohibits the financing of Croatian political parties by foreign countries, foreign political parties, foreign legal entities, or foreign natural persons. A party spokesperson contacted by Lead Stories blamed right-wing parties for promoting the false claim linking the left-leaning party to widely debunked conspiracy…

Is medical insurance, along with other rights, being terminated for Croatians while migrants have them for free? No, that's not true: In Croatia, medical insurance is mandatory for all residents and foreigners with approved residence. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) on TikTok by @kinginvictus33 on January 10, 2024, under the title (translated from Croatian to English by…

Do migrants in Croatia receive 20,000 euros, or $21,705, which is four times more than an average pensioner gets annually? No, that's not true: Minister of Internal Affairs Davor Božinović rejected the claims made by parliamentarians that Croatia should pay someone 20,000 euros for each migrant. The claim appeared in a video on TikTok on January 6, 2024. It began…

Did the Croatian government warn health care workers against the side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines but hide them from the citizens? No, that's not true: The Croatian Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices (HALMED) has published news about vaccines against COVID disease and other topics from a meeting of the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) on its…