The leaders of Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Bulgaria are calling for talks among European Union (EU) leaders; about the distribution of vaccines within the 27-nation bloc.
Austrian media reported Saturday that the five leaders wrote a joint letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; and European Council President Charles Michel.
That came after Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz complained on Friday that, even though the EU had agreed on distribution of the vaccines on a per-capita basis; some countries were receiving considerably more than others.
The letter asserted that “if this system were to carry on, it would continue creating; and exacerbating huge disparities among Member States by this summer.”
Officials elsewhere have noted that countries have wanted differing amounts of various vaccines; and have not always taken up their full allocation.
Austria’s health ministry — which is run by Kurz’s junior coalition partner — was among those rejecting Kurz’s criticism.
Oe1 radio reported that its general secretary, Ines Stilling; said negotiations on distributing the vaccines had been “balanced and transparent.”
