Slovakia and Croatia in talks with Russia over Sputnik coronavirus vaccine

Croatia and Slovakia are in talks with Russia about buying its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, local media reported Wednesday.

“It is timely for the government to start talks with the Russian side about supplies of Sputnik V,” Slovakian Prime Minister Igor Matovič said on Facebook, adding that his government will discuss the matter Thursday and that he’s in favor of the jab.

Sputnik is a “great vaccine with great efficiency,” he said.

His health minister, Marek Krajči, said the vaccine could be used if found safe, and that the local medicines agency would need to asses the manufacturing process, reported Reuters on Tuesday.

Separately, Croatia’s Health Minister Vili Beros has announced that he has “agreed cooperation” with Russia on the procurement of Sputnik V, according to N1 today. There’s growing evidence the Russian vaccine is effective, but more data is needed to prove it’s safe, he said.

However, he counseled against taking the unilateral approach that Hungary did when it issued an emergency authorization, saying that approval from the European Medicines Agency would be “optimal” because “it has very high criteria.”

Beros said Russia’s ambassador to Croatia told him that Moscow expects EMA’s approval possibly in early April. The EMA has not yet received Russia’s application.

The news comes after Slovakia’s foreign minister, Ivan Korčok, met with his Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlić Radman, on Tuesday and defended the EU’s joint procurement strategy on vaccines.

Korčok told reporters it’s more important that vaccines meet high standards and secure EMA approval, regardless of their origin, as quoted by Total Croatia News.

Radman agreed that “all vaccines coming from third countries must comply with EU regulations.”

Meanwhile, Sputnik is also gaining traction in Serbia, which is already deploying the jab. President Aleksandar Vučić said Tuesday his country will become a vaccine production hub of Sputnik for the Western Balkans, producing 20 million doses.

This article is part of POLITICO’s premium policy service: Pro Health Care. From drug pricing, EMA, vaccines, pharma and more, our specialized journalists keep you on top of the topics driving the health care policy agenda. Email [email protected] for a complimentary trial.