Putin sings victory against the coronavirus and will open Russia to vaccine tourism in July

Vladimir Putin has claimed victory against the coronavirus pandemic, announcing that Russia now sees the light at the end of the tunnel without having to stop its economy and helping businesses and families. The Russian president has denounced this Friday that some countries refuse to buy vaccines against Covid-19 for political reasons.

“In the fight against the pandemic on a global scale there is no significant aid. Or something more absurd: there are prohibitions for political reasons on the purchase of proven, effective and reliable vaccines,” denounced Putin, who at another time criticized the global influence of the United States: “They intend to stop our development”

Faced with this situation, the Russian president has announced that he has ordered the Russian authorities to prepare the ground for foreign citizens to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in Russia by paying a fee.. The Russian leader made these remarks at the plenary session of the 24th International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.

This would open the door to so-called 'vaccine tourism' if Russia once and for all opens its borders. According to the director of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kiril Dmitriev, (one of the promoters of the Sputnik V vaccine), it could be from July of this year when Russia begins to welcome foreign travelers interested in getting one of the three vaccines. Russians that are on the market.

After Putin's speech, speeches by the Austrian Chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, were heard via videoconference. The presidents of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, and Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, also participated in the forum.. Taking advantage of the event, Putin, together with the Argentine Fernández and the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vucic, started the production of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine in these countries.

safe economy

The Russian leader assured that the Russian economy and labor market are recovering and already approaching the levels prior to the crisis caused by the pandemic. “We have been able to avoid the drastic drop in revenue. There are problems, but we have avoided the disaster thanks to the aid to families and people who lost their jobs,” Putin boasted.

The president also advanced other good news for Moscow. The laying of the first branch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline has been successfully completed: “The works on the second branch continue. The rest of the works, including the maritime section, have been completed,” Putin revealed to applause.. He added that Russia was willing to carry out similar projects with Europe, but Putin hopes that his international partners will prioritize profit and not the political situation.. The infrastructure has subjected the German government to criticism over the Putin government's abuses against the opposition.

“We are willing to continue developing similar high-tech projects with our European partners and those of other countries, and we hope that the logic of mutual benefit will overcome the artificial barriers of the current political situation,” Putin said when speaking at the forum's plenary session. .

The Kremlin has established itself as a guarantor of Russian identity and influence in what it considers its satellite states, such as Ukraine or Belarus.. But on the contrary, he prefers that the rest of the nations have a more pragmatic approach with Russian projects.. And that the debate on human rights in Russia does not cloud the possibilities of energy or other alliances.

In this area, the US is the main political rival. That is why the Russian president warned investors listening to him at the St. Petersburg forum that if one day oil producers refuse to pay in dollars, it will be a severe blow to the currency as a reserve currency.. Putin pointed out that Russia does not want to politicize the possible rejection of the dollar, but stressed that the international financial system requires multiple reserve currencies, not just one.

Dissent is extremists

Hours before boasting of good management, the Russian leader took care of legally neutralizing those who do not see it that way. Putin signed a law early this Friday that temporarily prohibits people involved in activities of organizations recognized as extremists or terrorists from participating in elections at all levels.. This leaves out of the September parliamentary elections anyone who has collaborated with Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.. His movement is in practice equated with formations such as the Islamic State.

According to the regulations, an individual may not be eligible for public office if the court establishes that they are related to extremist and terrorist organizations.. The same rules will apply to people who support extremists on the Internet.

According to the law, the founders and leaders of the above-mentioned organizations will be ineligible for five years. Employees of these parties are banned for three years after the court decision to close or ban the mentioned groups.

In mid-April, the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office asked to declare Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption (FBK) extremist. The entity had already been listed as a foreign agent and so were Navalny’s so-called offices in several Russian cities. Two weeks later, the regional network was listed as an extremist organization.