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Serbia to bring in Russian experts to help fight coronavirus EURACTIV.com with Reuters 3-4 minutes _____ File photo. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) awards President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic (R) with an order of Alexander Nevsky, after their negotiations in Belgrade, Serbia, 17 January 2018. [Pool/EPA/EFE] Serbia will bring in Russian doctors and experts to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak and undertake a major disinfection effort, President Aleksandar Vučić said on Thursday (2 April). The arrival by plane on Friday of eight doctors and an unspecified number of other personnel will be the first aid sent by the Kremlin to the Balkan country since the beginning of the outbreak almost a month ago. Serbia sees Russia as its traditional Slavic and Orthodox Christian ally. “This demonstrates how much they (Russia) care for Serbia when times are difficult for themselves,” Vučić told a news conference in Belgrade after speaking to Russian President Vladimir Putin by telephone. Many hospitals in Serbia lacked basic safety gear at the start of the outbreak. The government has since bought equipment and aid has arrived from China and the European Union. Vučić also said he also spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and asked him to help Serbia purchase substances to produce chloroquine, a drug which has been tried with some success to treat the coronavirus infection, from French manufacturer Sanofi. Serbia, a candidate for EU membership, has reported 1,171 cases of coronavirus and 31 deaths. Its authorities introduced an array of measures to counter the disease, including a state of emergency, closing borders and a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew. Earlier on Thursday, Serbia’s government revoked a decree giving it control over information on the outbreak following protests and the detention of a journalist for reporting a major hospital lacked protective gear and properly trained staff. Serbian journalist detained for coronavirus reporting <https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/serbian-journalist-detained-for-coronavirus-reporting/> A Serbian journalist was detained by police on Wednesday (1 April) on charges of causing public unrest and damaging a hospital’s reputation after she reported about a shortage of protective medical equipment available for staff at a medical centre in the northern Vojvodina province. The emergency measure, which said information about the coronavirus outbreak could only come from Prime Minister Ana Brnabić or those authorised by her, had been criticised by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) watchdog and local media associations. Serbia’s rights watchdogs and opposition parties have accused Vučić and his ruling coalition of stifling media freedoms, attacks on journalists and political opponents, corruption and ties with organised crime. Vučić and his allies, who face a national election this year, have denied the accusations. EURACTIV's editorial content is independent from the views of our sponsors. By continuing to browse the website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies <https://www.euractiv.com/about-euractiv/euractiv-com-cookie-policy/> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "SERBIAN NEWS NETWORK" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/senet/034201d60995%240f51e250%242df5a6f0%24%40gmail.com.
