Friday 23 April 2021
Ministry contradicts promises
Doesn’t Kretschmer’s Sputnik deal even exist?
Saxony’s head of state Michael Kretschmer surprisingly announces that Germany wants to buy 30 million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine. But the deal has apparently not been agreed with the federal government. Meanwhile, his phone call with Kremlin chief Putin is also causing criticism.
With the announcement that Germany wants to buy 30 million doses of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer apparently surprised not only the German public, but also the federal government. As the “Bild” newspaper reports, the deal was not coordinated with the government. Kretschmer is also not authorized to negotiate a possible delivery of the vaccine with Russia. This is the sole responsibility of the federal government.
Kretschmer announced on Thursday that Germany wanted to buy the 30 million cans for June, July and August. The prerequisite is the approval of the vaccine by the EU Medicines Agency (EMA). But he expects that as early as May. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Health told the “Bild” newspaper that the time of approval depends “on the scope and quality of the other study data still to be transmitted” and that the data packages submitted so far are not yet sufficient.
EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton recently made a similar statement. For a quick approval of the vaccine, “important data” was still missing. Most recently, a team of experts from the EMA visited clinics in Russia where vaccination takes place, production facilities and storage rooms. EU health experts expect a decision from the EMA in June or July at the earliest. Health Minister Jens Spahn also made it clear at the beginning of April that the approval would not fail because the European authorities were too slow. “The speed of approval really only affects the Russian side itself through the delivery of the data.”
Spahn: “The federal government procures”
He had given a clear rejection of the states going it alone when ordering Sputnik V. He only knows one decision of the Conference of Health Ministers and Prime Ministers. “And that says: The federal government procures.” Kretschmer had to take criticism even before his trip to Moscow – mainly because of the timing. Because of the imprisonment of the Kremlin critic Alexej Navalny and the increasing tensions with Ukraine in the Crimean conflict, not only the opposition but also the US mission in Germany demanded a more critical tone from Kretschmer. He said on Thursday evening that he had also addressed contentious issues in a telephone conversation with Putin.
On Twitter, however, the circumstances of the conversation caused ridicule. “Little Michael talking on the phone with Putin. It’s a shame that Loriot is no longer allowed to experience that,” wrote one user. Another asked, “How much can you voluntarily demote yourself?” Kretschmer himself sells the phone call as a conversation between equals. The Free State of Saxony and Russia would connect “30 years of intensive cooperation and relationships”. The state sees itself as “Germany’s bridge to the east”. It goes without saying that critical issues are also “clearly addressed”.
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