The EU supports five member states with higher vaccine levels

Ten million vaccines from Biotech / Pfizer could be delivered to the EU in the second quarter instead of the third quarter – a stroke of luck for the EU. In fact. Then began the controversy over distribution: Usually, EU countries assign sizes according to their population. However, under the presidency of the Portuguese Council, the five member states with the lowest number of vaccines should receive the most support: Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia And this Slovakia.

Together, countries should receive an additional 2.85 million doses, while others are correspondingly lower. The other 19 EU countries participated in the solidarity campaign. Germany Dropped half a million vaccine doses.

“This is an important signal in the corona crisis, especially as the majority of the EU is showing solidarity with countries particularly affected by the vaccine shortage,” an EU ambassador told SPIEGEL. Led by the President of Austria Sebastian Kurs However, half a dozen countries demanded that they receive a larger share because they had previously found themselves at a disadvantage in vaccine distribution.

In their estimates, Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia and Slovakia have put more on the vaccine from their orders. Astrogenogen The package now has the biggest distribution issues. In Austria But compensation is not required. Presented later in negotiations Slovenia And Czech Republic Call for more consideration.

The EU ambassador said: “It is unfortunate that Austria, Slovenia and the Czech Republic have refused to leave and show this sign of unity. This is completely incomprehensible because Austria and the Czech Republic in particular have recently benefited from EU solidarity, each receiving an additional 100,000 doses of the vaccine. “

“President Kurz disagrees”

Austria has now missed the solidarity campaign and is only gaining its normal share in terms of population. However, in the second quarter, President Kurs was pleased to announce that his country had received 199,000 cans of extra biotech / Pfizer. It was “a solid decision,” he said Brussels General explanation. However, at the beginning of the distribution dispute, Kurz expects about 400,000 cans.

“President Kurz walked out of disunity and left Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia and Slovakia,” an EU ambassador said. “Austria has suffered severe European land damage.”