French Foreign Ministry Dissatisfied With Regional Head's Decision To Pre-Order Sputnik V

French Foreign Ministry Dissatisfied With Regional Head's Decision to Pre-Order Sputnik V

The French secretary of state for European affairs, Clement Beaune, has expressed dissatisfaction over the decision of the head of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region to pre-order Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th April, 2021) The French secretary of state for European affairs, Clement Beaune, has expressed dissatisfaction over the decision of the head of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region to pre-order Russia's Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19.

On Tuesday, Renaud Muselier, the head of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region in southeastern France, said that he had secured half a million shots of the Sputnik V vaccine, pending approval at the European level.

"I think this is wrong and irresponsible. If you follow this logic, what will happen? If every region or every department, every city were to say: 'I have an opportunity, I will order.' What will we have? ... I believe that the vaccination policy should be equal for all French people," Beaune said as aired by Radio J.

According to the official, it is necessary to wait for the decision of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on the Russian vaccine.

"We should wait for the assessment of the European regulator. Perhaps we will order it at the right time," he added.

Last week, Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the far-left France Untamed political party and a former presidential candidate, said that Paris had been aware of the high efficacy of Sputnik V since November, but refrained from procuring it owing to ideological considerations.

In the meantime, the EMA has been evaluating Sputnik V since March 4. However, several EU countries, including Slovakia and Hungary, have already approved its use without waiting for EMA authorization. Overall, the Russian vaccine has been approved in 60 countries worldwide.