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FM: The lives of many more Hungarians and Serbs saved by Eastern vaccines

The foreign minister said Hungary is involved in talks on Covid passports, adding that these “should not discriminate against anyone”.

During an official visit to Belgrade, Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the lives of many more Hungarians and Serbs have been saved thanks to Eastern vaccines bought by the two countries.

Minister Szijjártó said neither government had made the vaccine into an ideological issue and both countries trusted their own experts. “Both the Serbian and Hungarian governments paid heed to common sense,” he said. “We set ourselves the single goal of protecting the lives and health of our citizens.”

The minister also said Hungary is involved in talks on Covid passports, adding that these “should not discriminate against anyone”. The validity of passports should not only be based on the approval of vaccines by the European Medicines Agency but also on the emergency approval given by national authorities. “Hungary wouldn’t accept only one form of approval being recognised,” he said.

Finally, when asked a question about the suspension of AstraZeneca’s vaccine in several countries, Minister Szijjártó said Hungary was also monitoring the effect of the vaccine, and its experts would decide on any further steps to be taken. He said both Serbia and Hungary were top of the European vaccination rankings thanks to their willingness to buy Eastern vaccines.

Photo credit: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter