"Buy Russian, buy Western vaccines. Even Serbia is ahead of us"

ANKARA -- Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán stated that countries must procure as many and as much vaccines as possible, regardless of whether they come from the East or the West

"Buy Russian, buy Western vaccines. Even Serbia is ahead of us"

ANKARA -- Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán stated that countries must procure as many and as much vaccines as possible, regardless of whether they come from the East or the West

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Tanjug/AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski

In an interview for the German portal Focus Online on the occasion of Hungary's decision to buy the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, he said that in a pandemic, it is the job of politicians to take responsibility and protect the health and lives of citizens.

"Because those who buy time can save lives and regain their freedom," he said.

He emphasized that there are no "eastern or western vaccines", but only good or bad ones, reports MTI.

Orbán said that the procurement of vaccines and the tense relations between the EU and Russia can be seen as separate issues.

He stressed that human lives and protection are beyond political considerations.

Orbán added that it is "irresponsible" to politicize the procurement of vaccines and "allow people to die and restrict their freedom just because someone has objections to a country where it is produced." "Objectively speaking, it is clear that the eastern part of Europe developed a vaccination culture during the communist era, which led to the eradication of the virus in Eastern Europe long before in Western Europe, where the Russian vaccine was not accepted for ideological reasons," Orbán concluded.