Brnabic: Contracts signed for coronavirus vaccines

NEWS 21.12.202010:01
TANJUG / VLADA REPUBLIKE SRBIJE / SLOBODAN MILJEVIC

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that the Serbian authorities have signed bilateral contracts to buy coronavirus vaccine with Pfizer, the maker of the Russian Sputnik V and China’s Sinopharm, adding that contact with the vaccine makers was made through political connections.

Speaking live on the pro-government TV Pink, Brnabic said that the Pfizer vaccines should arrive first. She said that the negotiations with that company were the longest and that the Serbian Medications Agency has approved the use of its vaccine. “We expect the first deliveries this week. It certainly won’t be a large quantity but it won’t be test amounts…but for vaccination. We should get significantly greater quantities in January and February,” she said.  

Brnabic said that the struggle to get the vaccines was hard and added that there was very little empathy from the richest towards the poorest countries. According to her, Serbia had the money to buy the vaccines and even make advance payments along with the political credibility to talk to the producers directly, “which not every state can do”. Brnabic claimed that the Serbian authorities got to the vaccine makers through “political connections” mainly through President Aeksandar Vucic.