Thread by @adicerimagic

To this date no one in four #WesternBalkan countries recieved a #CovidVaccine:

#BiH🇧🇦, #Kosovo🇽🇰, #Montenegro🇲🇪 & #NorthMacedonia🇲🇰

Many rightfully ask why

In #BiH, for example, authorities relied on #COVAX, #EU🇪🇺 procurement mechanism patience of citizens (?!)👇🏼

Following an agreement of BiH governments in charge for health matters by November 2020 state level authorities (kind of) finalised paperwork to be able to order 1,232,000 dosis of vaccines via #COVAX + 892.000 dosis via an #EU procurement mechanism.

balkaneu.com/bih-finalizes-…

Already in December 2020 authorities in #BiH made it clear they had no plans to try to negotiate, lobby & get vaccines via direct purchase. They defended their decision by claiming it is safer & cheaper (+legal) to wait & hoped citizens would be patient.

klix.ba/vijesti/bih/do…

Even when in the late December 2020 and early 2021 #Serbia started to recieve its first shipments via direct purchase, from #Pfizer, #Russia & #China, #EU started its #vaccination & pressure from public increased, authorities in 🇧🇦 defended their policy to “sit & wait.”

In my conversation with those in #BiH who are in charge at a technical level I was told that from the start they were aware that #BiH would not be among first to get #vaccines but they relied on the #EU & thought they would come right after the #EU.

As the entire story with a delay in #EU itself came to surface & #Serbia became a regional leader in buying & administring vaccines, some in #BiH went to blame the #EU, called for #Russia & #China to help & started to peddle the idea of a direct purchase in very unserious way.

It included a lot of contradicting ideas on how to do it & big political announcments by cantons (#Sarajevo), entities (#RepublikaSrpska) & companies (#WestHerzegovina) buying #vaccines on their own. Some of them unaware of legal and existing procedures.

On 21 January 2021 authorities (kind of) reacted with state & entity governments agreeing to engage in a direct purchase of (any available) #vaccines.

aa.com.tr/ba/balkan/bih-…

Since then, however, I am told that not much has moved. Foremost, because not much was tried, but also because - as some other countries in #WB & #EU already know - it is difficult.

Even attempts by Milorad #Dodik, a member of the #Presidency🇧🇦, to get #vaccines from #Serbia have proved to be difficult. Not because #Serbia does not want or have enough to share with BiH, but because #Serbia (kind of) obliged itself not to share.

danas.rs/politika/vucic…

For four #WesternBalkan countries to start to vaccinate all their health care workers some 50 to 100,000 dosis of #vaccines are required.

That is the total number of vaccines administred in #Germany on one day (22 January 2021).

Could willing #EU states provide it quickly?

On 11 January 2021 #Albania🇦🇱 administred 975 dosis. The PM said it was thanks to a donation by one (unnamed) #EU🇪🇺 member state.

Could several #EU states come together and help #WB4 start to vaccinate their health workers?

It would be a good sign!

abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSto…