The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama said that he does not judge the decision of Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti on refusing Chinese Sinovac vaccines offered by his government.
After vaccinating hundreds of Kosovo’s medical staff in the northern city of Kukes, the closest to Kosovo, Rama offered to vaccinate teachers as well. But Kosovo has declined the Chinese Sinovac vaccine, citing geopolitical and health safety issues.
“Albin Kurti deals with the campaign in Albania, I do not deal with the campaign in Kosovo. We are ready to vaccinate teachers,” Rama told ABC on Thursday.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that because Kosovo is not recognized by many countries, including Russia and China, they “don’t have the comfort of accepting vaccines from all over, like some countries are doing.”
“Our orientation is European and Euro-Atlantic, [in close relations] with countries that recognize us, that’s why we have our hesitations and skepticism, but also our clear position towards different offers that might reach us from non-recognizer countries or from outside Europe,” Kurti told journalists on Monday.
Last week, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti had asked him to have their teachers vaccinated instead of medical staff, who would be vaccinated in Kosovo using the first batch of AstraZeneca supply the country received a few days ago. Rama said he had replied positively, suggesting that Kosovo teachers would go to Albania to get the vaccine, just like a number of doctors and nurses had done before.
Kosovo’s Minister of Health, Arben Vitia has stated that his Albanian counterpart Ogerta Manastirliu promised to support Kosovo with Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines when they are available.
