It’s good that some vaccines finally arrived, after our Government initially refused help from Russia, said VMRO-DPMNE member of Parliament and former presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova. Macedonia received 3,000 Sputnik V vaccines yesterday, after waiting in vain for Western produced vaccines all February. These, and the 8,000 Pfizer vaccines donated by Serbia, are the only stockpile Macedonia has and it is being used to inoculate the most critical medical staff.

The minor quantities we have received so far mean that we may achieve collective immunity the natural way until this summer. Teh Macedonian Government showed it has no strategy when it comes to procuring the vaccines. Russia offered us help months ago but our “pro-Western” Prime Minister promptly turned them down, declaring them an “Eastern threat” and expecting “Western solidarity”. Many people lost their lives in the meantime, while we got the donation from Serbia. Finally our rulers realized that there is no room for East-West games when it comes to obtaining vaccines, Siljanovska said.

The Zaev regime also signed a contract with China and a large quantity of the Sinopharm vaccines is the next expected delivery.