Von der Leyen faces calls to resign over EU vaccine strategy
Jerome Hughes
Press TV, Brussels
Twenty-four percent of adults living in the UK have already received a COVID-19 vaccine, but across the 27-nation EU, it's just three percent. The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has been grilled on the subject in the European Parliament.
Von der Leyen admitted to legislators that the authorization of vaccines in the EU was too slow. She also came close to apologizing for almost introducing border checks in Ireland which could have destabilized the country's peace process. It was part of a plan to control exports of vaccines produced in the EU.
That message wasn't received very well by Irish members of the European Parliament. Fiasco, scandal, disaster and indefensible were among the words used to describe the EU's vaccine rollout. Some claim the problems have arisen due to a mixture of ignorance and arrogance.
Everyone agrees that unless the European Commission and EU governments can get the vaccine strategy on track, the bloc's economy is doomed. New variants of COVID-19 are adding to uncertainty and anxiety. They underline the urgent need to ramp up vaccination, MEPs say.
At the start of this debate, Von der Leyen repeated her ambition to see 70% of the EU's population vaccinated before the 1st of September. A number of lawmakers described this as wishful thinking. One said, it is totally unrealistic.
Leader meets workers on Labor Week
US continues starving Syrians, stealing their resources
Iran marks defeat of US military operation in Tabas Desert
Iran urges Security Council to address 'belligerent' Israel's atrocities in Gaza, region
VIDEO | Leader meets workers on Labor Week
French police called in to break up US-style pro-Palestinian student demo
VIDEO | US continues starving Syrians, stealing their resources
Yemeni forces strike Israeli ship, Port of Eilat in solidarity with Gaza
Columbia, Yale students bent on ending US support for Israeli genocide
VIDEO | Genocide in Gaza
Iran calls on BRICS to play role in stopping Israeli crimes
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
