Slovakia health minister resigns over Sputnik V vaccine controversy

PanARMENIAN.Net - Slovakia’s health minister announced his resignation on Thursday, March 11 in a deal to defuse a political crisis over the acquisition of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine, which had threatened to topple the coalition government, Al Jazeera reports.

Marek Krajci’s resignation was requested by two parties in the four-party coalition in a country that has been among the hardest-hit by Covid-19 in the European Union.

“Two coalition parties made my resignation a condition for them to stay in the coalition. In such a situation, I think there was no point arguing … I am not glued to my seat [at the ministry],” Krajci told a televised briefing.

The crisis was triggered last week by a secret deal to acquire Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, orchestrated by Prime Minister Igor Matovic despite disagreement among his coalition partners. Matovic has defended the deal to buy two million Sputnik V vaccine doses, saying it will speed up the vaccination program.

But the Freedom and Solidarity coalition party said the purchase cast doubts on the country’s clear pro-Western orientation. The party joined forces with another coalition partner, For People party, to demand a reconstruction of the government.