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Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow
Photo: Bodo Schackow / dpa
Bavaria is securing millions of doses of the agent before a possible EU approval of the Russian corona vaccine Sputnik V.
Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) announced that the Free State will sign a preliminary contract with a production company in Illertissen, Swabia.
After approval, the Free State will receive 2.5 million vaccine doses.
Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) said that he welcomed the fact that his Bavarian colleague had secured "a certain amount as a pre-order" for Germany.
But "unfortunately the health ministers didn't know anything about it today," criticized the prime minister of Söder's move.
"It would be nice if this wasn't a competition now, but if the federal government finally negotiated the binding framework agreements," he demanded.
Previously, the Left in the Bundestag had criticized Söder's initiative.
"In a crisis you need solidarity and not unlimited egoism for your own career," said parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch to the editorial network Germany.
There should be no race between the federal states.
"We need a national effort to vaccinate, but not a Bavarian powerhouse," said Bartsch.
He called on Chancellor Angela Merkel and Health Minister Jens Spahn (both CDU) to brake Söder.
With the delivery of Sputnik, the additional vaccine capacities in Bavaria are to be increased.
"If Sputnik is approved in Europe, then the Free State of Bavaria will receive additional doses of vaccine, I think there are 2.5 million, in July," Söder (CSU) announced on Wednesday.
Health Minister Klaus Holetschek (CSU) reported that the Bavarian state government had signed a letter of intent with the institution commissioned by the Russian government to distribute the vaccine.
The vaccine should be produced in Illertissen (Neu-Ulm district).
"That won't be the case until later in the year."
