North Macedonia will receive 100,000 doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, PM Zoran Zaev announced.
He has instructed the authorities to enter into an agreement to purchase the vaccine from Russia.
“I have given instructions for the supply of 100,000 Russian vaccines. “Everything that has to do with vaccines, we have done our job, orders, contracts.” stated Macedonian PM Zoran Zaev.
Vaccination against COVID-19 in Northern Macedonia started on February 17 with Pfizer vaccines that were donated by Serbia.
He also added that Northern Macedonia will receive doses from Pfizer and Sinopharm.
“If some of the orders fail and some of the orders are canceled, surely what follows as an order is the Sputnik vaccine. That is why we have made as many agreements as we need in accordance with the national plan for vaccination of citizens in the Republic of Northern Macedonia,” said Zaev.
The first to be vaccinated are the health workers of the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Skopje, then other clinics will be vaccinated.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Northern Macedonia has registered over 99,000 infected and 3,063 victims.
Serbia recently gave North Macedonia an additional 8000 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines and said that other deliveries are being negotiated. Zaev said it was a “serious act of friendship” on the part of Serbia.
Leading the way in terms of vaccination in the region and Europe, Serbia said they may produce the Russian vaccine Sputnik V with production starting the end of this year, said Serbian Minister without Portfolio Nenad Popovic.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has questioned Russia on why they are selling millions of doses of the Sputnik V vaccine abroad, but are not making progress in vaccinating their own citizens.
