San Marino, Russia, and Sputnik
The Republic of San Marino has just become a global player in Russian western politics, and the point is to vaccinate the citizens of this country who violate EU politics as a non-EU country surrounded by Italy. Member of the European Union.
- Although the EU does not allow the Sputnik vaccine from Russia, the tiny Republic of San Marino may soon be producing the Russian Sputnik vaccine in Europe.
- This could allow San Marino to save other European countries in delivering the much-needed COVID-19 vaccine.
- San Marino has an excellent relationship with the Russian Federation and has not endorsed EU sanctions.
This bomb news was communicated to eTurboNews in an exclusive conversation with the WTN chairman and eTurboNews publisher Jürgen Steinmetz and the Ambassador of San Marino in the United Arab Emirates, the Hon. Mauro Maiani. Mr. Maiani was also head of the international division of the San Marino Minister of Tourism and is currently a member of the World Tourism Network.
San Marino is a landlocked country with 33,986 inhabitants and is completely surrounded by Italy. The Republic of San Marino is one of the oldest republics in the world. It has a system of government that is more than seven centuries old and a constitution that was written in 1600.
“We are not a member of the European Union,” said the ambassador. “We have a customs agreement with Italy and are allowed to use the euro as our currency.” We also have a very friendly relationship with the Russian Federation and welcomed more than 300,000 Russian tourists in 2019. “
“San Marino did not support the European Union’s recent sanction against Russia.”
With friends in high positions, Putin decided to sell enough Sputnik vaccine to San Marino that San Marino is now the first fully vaccinated country in Europe.
San Marino had waited for Italy to act before turning to Russia. According to Maiani, Italy had agreed to send one vaccine for every 1,750 vaccines to San Marino. This is about the relationship to the population of Italy compared to San Marino.
Not even a single vaccine ever came from Italy, and with the fourth highest number of infections in the world (based on population), San Marino had to act and decide to save its citizens.
“I volunteered for an initial study and received the Sputnik vaccine.” Meanwhile, the citizens of San Marino moved from the worst position in the world to the best in vaccination.
Russia may just have saved the lives of many people in San Marino. 4,586 COVID infections from 33,986 citizens make this nation number 4 in the world. San Marino is the third deadliest country with 2,501 deaths per million. Only in Gibraltar and the Czech Republic is the death rate higher.
As a former UNWTO Secretary General, Dr. Taleb Rifai often told members of the World Tourism Network that each country was separate.
Russia now sees a business opportunity to sell its Sputnik in Europe and San Marino may agree to that. So far, Sputnik has no plants in Western Europe. So what better location than an independent non-EU country surrounded by the European Union.
The San Marino Minister of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are currently discussing a proposal for Russia to build a Sputnik plant in the Republic of San Marino. Bulgaria, Hungary and other countries are already potential customers and can defy EU policies and buy the Russian Sputnik vaccine if it is made in San Marino.
Listen to the interview.
