Sputnik Vaccination in San Marino: Trojan Horse or Savior in Need?

San Marino is vaccinated with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine. Many in the small European state see that help is urgently needed at delivery. Others worry about the political implications.

It is here: the vaccine that the European Union is turning its back, but which in San Marino is celebrated as a savior in need. The vaccination campaign has started in the mini-republic in northern Italy, which has been particularly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Russian Sputnik vaccine. “We are convinced that the use of Sputnik will help us lower the infection curve so that we can finally see the light again after many months,” says the director of the vaccination campaign, Agostino Ceccarini.

Jörg Seisselberg
ARD-Studio Rom

Help in the fight against Covid-19 is very welcome in San Marino. The small state ten kilometers from Rimini currently has one of the highest infection rates in the world. The so-called seven-day incidence is 719 new infections, extrapolated to 100,000 inhabitants, about ten times the level in Germany.

San Marino particularly affected by Corona

Sputnik is praised in this situation, says Alessandra Bruschi, director general of the health system in San Marino. “The vaccination campaign that we can now start with this vaccine is essential to get us out of this difficult time.” Hardships experts say San Marino is partly responsible for: When surrounding Italy closed shops, bars and restaurants in the fall to stem the wave of corona infections, San Marino left almost everything indifferent.

Now the infection situation is worse in the Czech Republic than in San Marino. In their anguish, the Sanmarinesi have considered his good contacts with Russia. Moscow responded quickly to the call for help and delivered 7,500 doses of vaccine. But this is not done out of pure charity, warns the Russian expert Igor Pellicciari of the University of Urbino: “The arrival of the vaccine is a kind of Trojan horse. Sputnik reaches a western European country, while the Union European is more for politics than scientific reasons. Refuse the vaccine. We are a bit into the symbolism and geopolitics of the Cold War here. ”

What are Russia’s interests?

After Hungary, San Marino is the first Western European country to say yes to Sputnik. They shrugged in San Marino for fear that Russia could also pursue political interests with the delivery of vaccines. The head of the health system, Bruschi, says: “We are the last country in Europe that can now start its vaccination campaign. This would not be possible without the Sputnik vaccine, it is essential for us. Neighboring Italy has not had the promised vaccine for weeks delivered.

For Moscow, on the other hand, says Russia expert Pellicciari, the Sputnik vaccine is a foreign policy instrument with which international friendships are made or refreshed. San Marino caused a sensation a few years ago when the state of 34,000, unlike the European Union, rejected sanctions against Moscow.

Strong symbolic effect

Regarding the current vaccine agreement, Pellicciari says: “It has a strong symbolic meaning, which is aimed primarily at public opinion in Russia itself. Not surprisingly, the Interfax news agency celebrated San Marino as the 31st state in use the Sputnik vaccine … A symbolic effect that is reinforced by the fact that San Marino is located in central Italy, an EU and NATO state, ”where delivery from Moscow has already sparked popular demand.

The San Marino Social Security Institute reports that there has been “a wave of calls” from Italians in recent days asking if they too can benefit from Sputnik. The answer is no, say those responsible in San Marino, the vaccine is only intended for citizens of San Marino.

Pellicciari does not believe that Moscow is also pursuing economic and financial interests through the vaccine deal. For a long time, San Marino has distinguished itself by its “creative financial policy”. However, says the professor of politics, there are no significant Russian activities in the country’s economic and financial sectors.