The opposition MPs criticize the Moldovans authorities’ intention to purchase 400,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccine produced by the Chinese company Sinovac. According to the MPs, the vaccine has a doubtful reputation that endangers the people’s health. The parliamentary opposition said they are waiting for acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi to come to Parliament to shed light on the issue, IPN reports.
The PPPDA MPs said acting Premier Aureliu Ciocoi should be invited to Parliament as the purchase of the CoronaVac vaccine is a too sensitive issue and requires maximum transparency.
“When we carried out an analysis, we saw that this vaccine has reduced efficiency and we thus wondered why this transaction is beneficial to the Republic of Moldova. If it had been a donation, I would have understood, but it goes to 70-80 million lei of the taxpayers’ money and this sum is to be allocated for purchasing this vaccine that does not have a brilliant reputation,” PPPDA MP Alexandru Slusari stated in the talk show “Expertise Hour” on JurnalTV channel.
The PAS MPs said Moldova cannot purchase vaccines from other producers because the Chicu Government didn’t negotiate the bids on time.
“The governments all over the world opened negotiations when they started to discuss the appearance of the vaccine. Some of the governments ordered the vaccine when it was being invented. The Republic of Moldova wasn’t lucky to have a Prime Minister who would have negotiated the purchase of a consignment of vaccines and would have earmarked money for something like this,” stated PAS MP Lilian Carp.
The Democrats are dissatisfied with the pace of immunization as only over 67,000 people have been vaccinated in Moldova so far.
“There are many questions as to the efficiency of this vaccine. It wasn’t homologated by the WHO and is not registered in the Republic of Moldova. We should better wait for vaccines shipped through the COVAX Platform. But at the pace at which the people are vaccinated in the Republic of Moldova, the immunization will last for five-six years. This is too long,” said Democratic MP Nicolae Ciubuc.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection said it is considering the possibility of buying 400,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccine produced by the Chinese company Sinovac. The vaccine is approved in 17 countries, including Ukraine.