TURKEY SENDS CHINESE COVID-19 VACCINES TO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

Mon 29 March 2021:

Some 30,000 doses of the Chinese vaccine Sinovac sent by Turkey arrived in Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday to help the country fight the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus vaccines, promised by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the Bosnia-Herzegovina Presidential Council members’ visit to the capital Ankara on March 16, were arrived at the International Sarajevo Airport on an air ambulance.

Speaking at a news conference at the airport, Selmo Cikotic, the security minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina, said Turkey showed that it is ready to support Sarajevo as usual. He thanked President Erdoğan and the people of Turkey.

Pointing out that every bit of support is important during these days when the country’s health system is going through difficult times, Bosko Tomic, the advisor to the chairperson of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential Council, said: “It is very valuable to save even one life with the 30,000 doses of vaccines sent. I thank Turkey for the great support it provides.”

Özgür Şahin, the first counselor at Turkey’s Embassy to Sarajevo, said they contacted the Bosnia-Herzegovinan authorities immediately on Erdoğan’s instructions. “Turkey will continue to support the country in its fight against the pandemic,” he said.

Bosnia-Herzegovina has so far reported 162,032 cases and 6,220 fatalities from the virus.

On March 25, the country, which ordered 1.2 million doses of vaccines under the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Program (COVAX), received 23,400 doses of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine and 26,400 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.