Do Not Politicize the Issue of Vaccine Recognition, Matviyenko Says

There should be no politicization regarding the mutual recognition of vaccines, stated Valentina Matviyenko, the Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia, as reported by RIA Novosti.

“The WHO's acceleration of the pre-qualification process for new vaccines and medications plays a significant role. Timely assessment of quality and safety will enhance the expansion of their use within international humanitarian initiatives and will preserve the health of more people,” the speaker said on Thursday.

She reminded that at the G20 summit, Russia proposed to develop the issue of mutual recognition of national vaccine certificates as quickly as possible, which is necessary for the resumption of global business and tourism activities and simply returning to normal life. “No political consideration can serve as a pretext for delaying this decision,” the legislator asserted.

According to Matviyenko, the collective efforts of countries should be directed towards ensuring the broad availability of vaccines. This issue is among the most sensitive. “Several countries continue to face difficulties regarding vaccine availability. This is primarily due to financial factors. Currently, the cost of vaccinations is exceedingly high in many countries. In the absence of necessary funding from governments, the most vulnerable segments of the population are at risk,” she emphasized.

The solution to this problem, according to the senator, lies in the unification of efforts among all participants in international cooperation, including international organizations. Here, the open dialogue between the WHO European Regional Office and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of CIS member states can serve as an example.