The purchase of anti-Covid vaccines, investigated in Romania
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate investigates the purchase of anti-Covid vaccines in Romania.
Roxana Vasile, 22.09.2021, 14:00
The National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) in Bucharest opened an ‘in rem’ investigation into the way in which Romania has purchased anti-Covid vaccines. Prosecutors say there is suspicion of abuse of office, implying personal benefits and there are no suspects or people indicted. Romania has so far received 18.5 million anti-Covid vaccines, of the four types approved, and has a stock of 3.7 million, Valeriu Gheorghita, the head of the mass vaccination campaign said. He also said that the procedures followed for the procurement of vaccines in all European Union countries were the same, and they were developed by the European Commission. In his turn, Finance Minister Dan Vilceanu said he had no information about any purchase of vaccine except those bought through the mechanism put in place by the European Commission, at prices negotiated at community level.
On the other hand, former health minister, Vlad Voiculescu, believes the investigation opened by anti-corruption prosecutors is a good thing. He said that the decision to order the vaccines was taken by his chief, PM Florin Citu and then communicated to the Commission, without considering the opinion of the Health Ministry. Voiculescu said Romania ordered too many vaccines, in an irrational manner, and then had to sell or donate several millions, more than any country in Europe, not for humanitarian reasons but for fear they may expire. “The Romanians, if they hadn’t constantly been taken for fools and lied to, they would have more trust in the people who ask them, on an imperative tone, to get immunized,” Voiculescu wrote on Facebook.
The anti-Covid vaccines are purchased based on contracts forged by the European Commission with pharmaceutical companies, and the quantity is allocated based on the individual requests of member states. The number of vaccines can be adjusted depending on the needs. The Hotnews online publication writes that in mid-July, PM Florin Citu said publicly that Romania had ordered 120 million vaccine doses, for several years. Given that only about 5.4 million people have been vaccinated so far in Romania, out of the 18.5 million vaccines received by the country almost 2.1 million have been donated and over 2.2 million have been sold. The recipients were the Republic Moldova, Serbia, Ukraine, Tunisia, Egypt, Vietnam, South Korea and Denmark. At the same time, almost 750 thousand doses have expired and 178 thousand will expire on October 31st. (EE)
