According to several new pieces of information, some of the tests specified by the manufacturer were not completed and several important parameters affecting efficacy and safety were missing at the time the authorization was granted.Continue reading
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó received the Russian Order of Friendship from Sergei Lavrov, his Russian counterpart, in Moscow on Thursday, for his work on developing Hungarian-Russian ties.
Szijjártó said in a Facebook post that he was “proud of maintaining a cooperation based on mutual interests and trust with Moscow, despite daunting global and regional tendencies”.
Hungary’s success in fighting the European energy crisis and the coronavirus pandemic hinged on the decision to pursue a foreign policy rooted in national interests, Szijjártó said. “We used Sputnik vaccines to speed up the vaccination campaign back in the spring, and the gas purchase agreement concluded in September [with Russia] guarantees our country’s energy safety,” he said.
The Order of Friendship is the most prestigious Russian award given to a foreign official for furthering international cooperation with Russia. Recipients include former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, former US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
featured image: Szijjártó and Lavrov; via Facebook