Home » Austria, Kurz’s new provocation: order 1 million doses of Sputnik without waiting for the EMA

Austria, Kurz’s new provocation: order 1 million doses of Sputnik without waiting for the EMA

by admin

Sebastian Kurz launches a new provocation. After a meeting with the Russian ambassador, the Austrian chancellor said that from next week he will start ordering the Sputnik vaccine.

The goal is one million doses by June, according to what was announced by the same chancellery: 300 thousand doses already in April, 500 thousand in May and 200 thousand in June. “We are at the last mile, we can already start with an order from next week”, pointed out Kurz.

Vaccini, Austrian Chancellor Kurz accuses the EU: “Someone makes secret agreements and receives more doses”

by our correspondent Tonia Mastrobuoni


Small detail: the EMA has not yet authorized the Russian vaccine. And it is unclear whether Austria wants to wait for the European drug agency or proceed with national authorization to access Sputnik. Certainly the conservative chancellor’s flight forward contributes to increasing pressure on Brussels. And if the solitary path under Sputnik’s orders were confirmed, Vienna would imitate Hungary and Slovakia, not exactly two examples of mirrored Europeanism.

Vaccini, Vienna leads the crusade of six countries to “correct” the quotas

by our correspondent Tonia Mastrobuoni



In the meantime, a bitter defeat for Kurz is looming right from the Belgian capital. After having raised his voice in recent weeks against alleged “secret agreements” of European partners with pharmaceutical companies that would have betrayed the principle of a distribution of doses based on population, the chancellor had to rush back and admit on twitter that ” it is not the fault of the EU ”. And that some countries had decided on their own to order fewer vials than they were entitled to on the basis of the principle agreed in the EU.

See also  Milan-Lecce MOVIOLA LIVE: the Var takes away a penalty from Theo. Pioli to Chiffi: 'he took everything'. Blin asks for a penalty | First page

And yet, on the eve of the last European Council, Kurz headed a group of countries – Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia – to ask for additional doses of the vaccine anyway. The Austrian chancellor pounded the table to grab two or three of the ten million additional doses of Biontech-Pfizer that could reach the EU as early as the second quarter. The chancellor’s argument is that the six crusaders from Eastern Europe and the Balkans would be in trouble with vaccination campaigns and would need higher doses. A greater solidarity and an exception to the principle of quotas established on the basis of the population demanded by Kurz with the club of the threat of veto.

Kurz blackmails the EU: Austria ready to block 100 million Pfizer doses

by our correspondent Alberto D’Argenio



Kurz’s request to the EU Council was brutally rejected first of all by Italy, Germany and France. Moreover, the veto threat turned out to be a bluff because the distribution mechanism has already been decided by the EU and does not require any further vote.

But from the day after the vexata quaestio ended up on the ambassadors’ table. They are deciding how to guarantee a share of the ten million additional doses of Biontech-Pfizer to those countries that, having ordered too many doses of Astrazeneca, have been most burned by the huge holes in the Anglo-Swedish company’s supplies and are behind in vaccinations.

According to a diplomatic source, the compromise proposed by the Portuguese presidency – for now with black smoke – is that three million doses are given to the countries most in need. Which are six: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Latvia and Estonia. And not Austria.

See also  AstraZeneca vaccine: the risk of thrombosis is much higher for those who get sick with Covid

In short, the sensational twist of the meeting of the ambassadors, according to the source, is that Austria has been placed among the countries that are proceeding in the European average with the vaccination campaign and that do not fall by right in the most generous redistribution of doses. If Kurz had not insisted on a quota for the most needy, he would therefore have had to pay 200,000 doses. Instead, having made the crusade, he will have 139 thousand. But the negotiations continue.

.

You may also like

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Privacy & Cookies Policy