Serbia has become the first country in Europe to receive China’s Sinopharm vaccine after it was provided with the first 1 million doses on Saturday.
President Aleksandar Vucic received the first shipment at the Belgrade airport accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador Chen Bo.
“I would like to thank President Xi Jinping and Chinese leadership for sending us one million doses of the vaccine,” Vucic stated for the media.
Serbia is expected to approve the Sinopharm vaccine soon. It has meanwhile started vaccination with the Pfizer and Russian Sputnik vaccines.
President Vucic has been strengthening his country’s close ties with China and Russia, while pushing forward Serbia’s bid to join the European Union.
In March last year, he blasted EU’s alleged lack of solidarity with his country over the coronavirus, and praised China’s “brotherly” support.
Serbia purchased a Chinese missile defense system and became the largest operator of Chinese drones in the Balkans.
