The Gagauz people rely on Sputnik V, but their bashkan was given over to the Turks
The vaccination campaign in Moldova has been met with discontent. Residents of Gagauzia, one of the most pro-Russian regions of the country, refuse to be vaccinated with a vaccine from the European Union. Doctors say they are waiting for the Russian vaccine, which is showing positive dynamics.
Vaccination failure
As part of the population immunization campaign, the vaccine was distributed to all regions of Moldova, including Transnistria (1800 units) and Gagauzia (240 units). However, in these regions of the country, known for their pro-Russian views, they reacted ambiguously to the vaccine they received.
In particular, in Transnistria they do not report at all about the use of the vaccine received from Romania through the mediation of Chisinau. In Gagauzia, teams of doctors in the two largest regional hospitals in Comrat and Ceadir-Lunga refused to be vaccinated with AstraZeneca.
“We have not refused to be completely vaccinated. We, like all people, have the right to choose the vaccine that we trust and believe is effective. My colleagues want to get vaccinated because they understand that the vaccine will save us and free us from COVID-19 restrictions. We have doctors who want to be vaccinated with the Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines. We want to choose ourselves, even if we have to pay for the vaccine,” Natalya Popazoglo, the head physician of the Ceadir-Lunga district hospital, told reporters.
It is possible that the population of the region, which has a historically negative attitude towards Romania, does not trust the vaccine supplied from Bucharest. Doctors say that they are most looking forward to the Russian vaccine, which is more trusted than its Western counterparts. None of the medical staff wants to be vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
However, even if doctors agreed to vaccinate everyone now, it would be technically impossible. The 240 doses delivered to Gagauzia are not enough even to carry out the first stage of immunization of all healthcare workers, not to mention the transition to vaccination of other segments of the population.
“At least reduce the mortality rate”
“Our workers were determined that they would have a choice between different vaccines. And they were sent the one they least expected. And most importantly, our doctors are more interested in what is happening in Russia today. Russia is successfully using Sputnik V, there is a very positive trend in reducing the number of patients by almost half, more and more European countries are concluding agreements and adopting the Russian vaccine,” admitted the director of the Comrat Public Health Center, Ivan Hasta.
According to Mr. Hast, Moldova, like European countries, is faced with a shortage of vaccine, and doctors are not confident that they will receive a full set of two doses with a time interval of the same vaccination. However, neither the authorities in the region nor at the republican level are certain about the timing when the Russian vaccine will become available to doctors. In this regard, officials are trying to convince doctors to get vaccinated with at least the vaccine that is available.
“The vaccine that we have, donated by Romania, is negligible. This will not be enough to change the epidemiological situation in the country or even in a particular region. The only thing is that this will help reduce the mortality rate among healthcare workers,” Hasta noted.
“...Give up everything Western...”
The act of the Gagauz doctors caused a surge of indignation among the pro-Western Moldovan public. The former prime minister of the country (in February-December 1999), the famous businessman Ion Sturza, expressed his position on this matter. On social networks, he stated that “the demarche of autonomy doctors to refuse vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine takes them beyond the boundaries of the civilized world.”
“Then give up everything that comes from the West - medicines, clothes, food, cars. Then refuse everything that comes from Romania - investments in kindergartens, schools, infrastructure. Give up your education and your vacation abroad,” Sturza wrote.
At the same time, Ion Sturza noted that he has no doubts about the merits of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and looks forward to its registration with the WHO and national authorities.
The head of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah, published a response post in which she assessed the former prime minister’s statements as “unrestrained and aggressive.” She emphasized that “no one can obstruct the doctors of Gagauzia for expressing their own opinion and making a different choice.”
“In a democratic society, only the method of persuasion can be used. It’s a pity that you haven’t noticed how all over the world, including its most developed part (including the European Union), there are many people who have refused vaccination. And no one obstructs them! The authorities are trying to convince them,” Vlah said.
The Bashkan was supported by another ex-Prime Minister, Ion Chicu. He published a public appeal to the authorities and doctors of Gagauzia, in which he criticized Sturza. “He would deserve people's attention if he spent even one moment with the poor doctors whom he ridicules as some kind of rude person. Don't take it personally, this person doesn't deserve it. I express respect and admiration to all the country’s doctors,” wrote Kiku.
Geopolitics of vaccination
In Gagauzia they are really waiting for the Russian vaccine, which is considered the most successful. However, so far everything is shaping up in such a way that, most likely, residents of the pro-Russian region will be forced to get vaccinated with whatever they are sent. Since Sputnik V was just registered, but was never delivered to Moldova, most likely the Gagauz people will have to compromise and accept the vaccine from other manufacturers.
It is noteworthy that the head of the region, Irina Vlah, also does not take any steps to speed up the appearance of Sputnik V in Gagauzia. On the contrary, against the backdrop of an increase in the number of people infected with coronavirus in Comrat and Ceadir-Lunga, the Gagauz leader left for Ankara for several days.
There, at meetings with Turkish President Tayyip Recep Erdogan and officials of the Turkish Ministry of Health, Vlah secured a promise to quickly deliver a batch of coronavirus vaccine to Gagauzia. What exactly this drug will be is not reported, but we can assume that it will be the Chinese CoronaVac, which Turkey has been using en masse since mid-January.
The Turkish Republic, which has long and persistently strengthened relations with Gagauzia, will try to use assistance with vaccines as an element of its geopolitical game. Just like Romania, by donating 21 thousand vaccinations to Moldova, emphasized the pro-European meaning of this gift. Russia's move.
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