Vaccine competition on the Dniester: Who is to blame that Russia did not become the first?
Still Romania. Romania promised Moldova a vaccine against Covid-19 and fulfilled its promise. A batch of 21600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine was delivered to Chisinau - the first tranche of the total assistance of 200 thousand doses allocated by the neighboring country. At the Chisinau airport, the humanitarian cargo was met by President Maia Sandu. At the solemn meeting, words were spoken about European solidarity and a historic day for Moldova.
The Russian Sputnik V vaccine, the first in the world, which is also expected in Moldova - many local residents trust it - will not be the first here. It's a pity. It could be an important image victory for Russia.
But Romania was the first with the European AstraZeneca vaccine. Bucharest will certainly receive political and ideological dividends from this.
So, vaccination in Moldova begins on March 1. First, the vaccine will be given to doctors who are on the front line of the fight against COVID. Part of the vaccines from Romanian aid will be sent to healthcare workers in Transnistria. Transnistria, by the way, is also entitled to at least 10% of the vaccines that Moldova will receive through COVAX (an international mechanism within the WHO created to facilitate the global fight against the pandemic).
Let us remind you that the leading countries of the world began vaccinating the population back in December. But what is the norm for some countries is a luxury for others. Moldova and Transnistria humbly awaited outside help and the implementation of the principle of world solidarity.
Moldova took a long time to get going. By February 24, Moldova remained the only European country where coronavirus vaccination had not yet begun . Meanwhile, the local population has suffered greatly from the infection: in a country of 2,6 million, nearly 185 cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, with 3,9 deaths.
For two months, nothing but talk developed, even leading to something like a competition between the two banks of the Dniester, with representatives of relevant agencies and the press regularly playing up the topic. The wait for the vaccine became a separate news story. Here are some sample headlines: Vaccine expected. Vaccine delayed. Vaccine awaited. Vaccine will be available. The vaccine will arrive, but there is no precise timeline.
The competition began late last year. It was immediately clear that there would be a lot of politics in this issue. Moldova was waiting for one of the “ideologically consistent” vaccines from the West, Transnistria - from Russia.
On December 29, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, following a meeting with Maia Sandu in Chisinau, announced that Bucharest would provide Moldova with 200 thousand doses of the coronavirus vaccine and other assistance to fight the infection. The existence of a “special relationship” between the two countries was emphasized.
Tiraspol immediately, on New Year’s Eve, hastened to announce that there was an agreement with Moscow on the supply of Russian vaccines. On December 30, President of Transnistria Vadim Krasnoselsky said that the issue was resolved during his working visit to Moscow. The topic of vaccination, he said, was discussed at a meeting with Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration Dmitry Kozak. There was talk of the first batch of 30 doses to vaccinate doctors, teachers and representatives of security forces. Immediately after the New Year holidays, Transnistria began compiling lists of potential vaccine recipients.
Despite the agreement reached, there were no deliveries to Tiraspol. In this matter they tried to press different pedals. United Russia parliamentarian, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs Konstantin Zatulin spoke at the first meeting of the spring session with an appeal to supply the vaccine to compatriots in Transnistria. “There is no one but us to help these people,” he said.
It turned out that there is. Romania is already helping - Transnistria is included in the general vaccination plan of the Republic of Moldova.
The issue of Russian vaccines for Moldova was constantly looming over the country’s ex-president Igor Dodon. The former leader of the Republic of Moldova held meetings in Moscow, declared his intention to be vaccinated against COVID-19 exclusively with the Russian vaccine and advised his fellow citizens to do the same. Dodon hoped to bring Sputnik V to Moldova (he also discussed the supply of this vaccine with Dmitry Kozak and said that he had agreed to transfer several hundred thousand doses to Moldova), but he did not bring it.
“If the Romanians do not deceive and actually supply this vaccine to Moldova, it will be another slap in the face of the “Russian World” in Moldova,” which today is played by Dodon’s face,” the Moldovan Telegram channel “White Stork” wrote earlier.
Some believe Maia Sandu and Romania have decided to thwart Igor Dodon's Moscow-led vaccine initiative. If so, it wouldn't have been difficult to thwart. Dodon negotiated Sputnik V supplies in December, but Russia, according to the Moldovan Ministry of Health, only approached Moldova about supplying the vaccine in early February. The Moldovan National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices received the documents and registration request for the Russian vaccine in mid-February. On February 26, the registration of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in Moldova was announced.
The Telegram channel “Chronicles of a Captured State” regarding the rivalry between Russia and Romania in terms of providing the region with a coronavirus vaccine writes: “If the Romanian side in Moldova has enough lobbyists, then Igor Dodon and the Socialist Party were appointed responsible for promoting the Russian vaccine. This has become something of a public flogging, which Vladimir Putin likes to use against subordinates who have committed misconduct.
So, our interlocutors claim that Old Square is dissatisfied with the results of this work. The fact is that Igor Dodon wanted to resolve the supply issue through himself, which resulted in a delay in the process and Russia missing the chance to become the first vaccine supplier to the Republic of Moldova. In addition, the Kremlin is unhappy that Igor Dodon lost control over the Bashkan of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah. Let us remind you that she independently managed to negotiate with the Turkish authorities on the supply of vaccines for the Gagauz autonomy.”
Meanwhile, in Transnistria, while they were waiting for a vaccine, the incidence rate began to decline.
The famous Pridnestrovian doctor Ilya Vasilyev expressed the opinion on his Facebook page that “the territory of Transnistria can be declared a territory that defeated COVID-19 without vaccination.”
“The steady decline in incidence continues,” he wrote. – Of course, this decline is occurring, as it should, in waves. From a mid-December high of about 700 cases per day, in February we are averaging less than 100 cases per day. The number of officially registered COVID-infected people has exceeded 30 thousand, i.e. In reality (if we consider that for every identified case there are 10 undetected ones), more than 300 thousand have suffered from the disease, and this is already more than 70-75% of the entire population. Therefore, it must be concluded that herd immunity has been achieved.”
Of course, they are still waiting for the Sputnik V vaccine in Transnistria. There are many people who want to be vaccinated with it. Perhaps Russia will become the second country to deliver the vaccine to the banks of the Dniester. Or maybe it won't. On February 25, for example, it became known that Lithuania would “lend a helping hand” and provide Moldova with a batch of the vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus. As reported by the acting Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Aurel Ciocoi at a joint conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis, the vaccine will be transferred in the near future.
Discussing the situation with the supply of vaccines to Moldova, Russian experts at various sites called the Sputnik V vaccine a “key”, a “soft power tool”, “a weapon of victory for the Russian Federation in a difficult political situation”, which must be truly used in Moldova.
But something doesn't work.
Moldova for Russia, of course, is not a key direction, but Russia now needs, simply vitally, any victories. If she wants to be somewhere, she needs to be there first.
English version :: Read in English Vaccine competition on the Dniester: Who is to blame for Russia not being first?