The European Union should send new coronavirus vaccines to its neighbors in the Balkans and do more to fight the virus in Ukraine, 13 EU foreign ministers said in a joint letter to the European Commission today.
Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden point out that the EU will not be safe from Covid- 19 until even the countries on its borders can recover from the pandemic.
“We strongly support the efforts and initiatives of the Member States and the European Commission to share vaccines under distribution agreements with the EU's closest allies, such as the countries of the Western Balkans,” the ministers said in a letter dated 6 January. , which was made public.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in a separate statement that it was “our duty to extend a helping hand to EU partners in the eastern, western Balkans and elsewhere”.
The European Commission has said it has received the letter and will respond to these governments, telling reporters during regular briefings that it is looking for ways to help the Balkan countries and other neighbors, including Georgia and Ukraine.
