Vaccine battle could do widespread harm, Dutch riots spark national alarm, and new Estonian Prime Minister takes over with charm.
This week a huge row broke out between the EU and Covid vaccine producer AstraZeneca.
Despite signing an Advance Purchase Agreement with the EU to deliver millions of doses, the pharmaceutical company says it will not be able to deliver.
A furious Stella Kyriakides wanted to know why!
The EU wants to know exactly which doses have been produced where by AstraZeneca so far, and if, or to whom, they have been delivered. The answers have not been satisfactory so far tweeted the Health Commissioner on Monday.
The EU wants to know exactly which doses have been produced where by @AstraZeneca so far, and if, or to whom, they have been delivered.
The answers of the company during the Steering Board discussion have not been satisfactory so far. A second meeting is scheduled for tonight.
— Stella Kyriakides (@SKyriakidesEU) January 25, 2021
Bruno Waterfield reckons the technical term is “holy fuck”
Technical term, 'holy fuck' https://t.co/qOxDk1FvTf
— Bruno Waterfield (@BrunoBrussels) January 25, 2021
“You know what? Can you give me until next year?” joked DG Meme.
"You know what? Can you give me until next year?"@AstraZeneca #VaccineStrategy https://t.co/FmUiCNfXwY pic.twitter.com/TB7drxEOxy
— DG MEME 🇪🇺 (@meme_ec) January 25, 2021
If you want to understand why people hoard toilet paper in supermarkets, see how rich countries hoard all the vaccines said Tanja Milevska.
If you want to understand why people hoard toilet paper in supermarkets, see how rich countries hoard all the vaccines
— Tanja M (@MilevskaTanja) January 25, 2021
And it kept escalating as #AstraZeneca pulled out of a meeting with EU officials on Wednesday reported Beatrice Rios.
And it keeps escalating: Commission confirms #AstraZeneca pulled out of the meeting scheduled this evening to discuss the reasons for the delay with EU officials.
— Beatriz Ríos (@BeaRios_) January 27, 2021
And there was no shortage of fantasy headlines.
European politicians “up in arms” that they can’t get vaccines “up in arms” suggested Berlaymonster.
European politicians "up in arms" that they can't get vaccines "up in arms"#fantasyheadlines
— Berlaymonster (@Berlaymonster) January 28, 2021
SHOCK As Dealings With A Pharmaceutical Company Hit Snag And Bears Continue To Defecate In Forests, snarked Le Chou
SHOCK As Dealings With A Pharmaceutical Company Hit Snag And Bears Continue To Defecate In Forests pic.twitter.com/Qfx4kctONY
— Le Chou (@LeChouNews) January 27, 2021
While The Daily Mash reported: We will vaccinate our hamsters before we give spare vaccines to you, Hancock tells EU
We will vaccinate our hamsters before we give spare vaccines to you, Hancock tells EU https://t.co/XE65O83U1r
— The Daily Mash (@thedailymash) January 28, 2021
If I were AstraZeneca’s CEO I would simply make more of the vaccine claimed Sam Morgan.
If I were AstraZeneca’s CEO I would simply make more of the vaccine
— Sam Morgan (@SamJamesMorgan) January 26, 2021
…I’m fairly sure it’s not as simple as that Sam!
David Henig summed it up best: It starts to feel like an entirely normal case of over promising and contractual ambiguity, made toxic by urgency, heightened emotion and regional politics.
Feeling like those who jumped on the AstraZeneca bandwagon did so unwisely. Many repeat offenders.
Starts to feel like an entirely normal case of over promising and contractual ambiguity, made toxic by urgency, heightened emotion and regional politics.
— David Henig (@DavidHenigUK) January 27, 2021
And speaking of heightened emotion and toxic politics… Police in the Netherlands clashed with protesters angry at new Covid restrictions in three consecutive nights of riots.
Darren McCaffrey reported that officers used water cannon and tear gas to clear demonstrators in Eindhoven, who gathered in defiance of a new 9pm curfew
Riot police in Netherlands clashed with protesters angry at new #coronavirus restrictions
Officers used water cannon and tear gas to clear demonstrators in Eindhoven, who gathered in defiance of new 21:00 curfew
More than 100 people have been arrestedpic.twitter.com/qXCC8ajg8Y
— Darren McCaffrey (@DarrenEuronews) January 25, 2021
More than 100 people were arrested.
Although Jesse Pappers’ photo paints an altogether more tranquil picture
Riots in the Netherlands and this is how the police intervenes 🚲🚨 pic.twitter.com/rNSVluH5dO
— Jesse Pappers (@JessePappers) January 26, 2021
Sadly most of the images were like this:
Riots took place in bigger cities like Amsterdam and Rotterdam, but also in smaller cities across the country. Rioters violated the 9 pm curfew, and looted businesses, set fires, and threw rocks at buildings and at police.#Netherlandsriots https://t.co/rPPTHcaq3n
— Vassiliki Souladaki (@Vsouladaki) January 27, 2021
The Netherlands has imposed a curfew after three consecutive nights of escalating violence in anti-lockdown riots. #NetherlandsRiots #LockdownProtests @dwnews https://t.co/p1mf3qJEd2
— 1440 Daily Digest (@Join1440) January 27, 2021
Dutch PM Mark Rutte condemned the disturbances as “criminal violence”
Dutch PM condemns lockdown riots as 'criminal violence' https://t.co/ZUwpfzF3k9
— EU Reporter (@eureporter) January 26, 2021
Water cannon, tear gas, burning cars, and a coronavirus testing station burned down – first 24 hours of curfew going well in the Netherlands, tweeted Danny Kemp!
Water cannon, tear gas, burning cars and a coronavirus testing station burned down, demonstrations in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, The Hague, Venlo, Tilburg, Urk – first 24 hours of curfew going well in the Netherlands
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) January 24, 2021
Finally this week, some positive news.
Former MEP Kaja Kallas has been named as the first female prime minister of Estonia
European Council President Charles Michel unofficially welcomed her to the club saying he was looking forward to working closely with her.
Õnnitlen Kaja Kallast Eesti esimeseks naispeaministriks saamise puhul!
I would like to welcome @kajakallas as the first female prime minister of Estonia 🇪🇪 congratulations!
Looking forward to working closely together at #EUCO
Wishing @ratasjuri all the best for the future! pic.twitter.com/IfByLEffGV
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) January 26, 2021
MEP Roberta Metsola was also quick to share her congratulations. One of the very best people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, she said.
In @kajakallas Estonia gets not only their first female Prime Minister & a committed European leader, but one of the very best people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.
Well done Estonia. Good luck Kaja!
Hästi tehtud 🇪🇪 ! https://t.co/p7SR0I1CjD— Roberta Metsola MEP (@RobertaMetsola) January 24, 2021
Best wishes to the new, gender-balanced, pro-European, reform-minded government tweeted MEP Sophie In’t Veld
Congratulations to the new Prime Minister of Estonia @kajakallas Best wishes to the new, gender-balanced, pro-European, reform-minded government! 👏 🇪🇪🇪🇺 @reformikad @keskerakondlane @RenewEurope @ALDEParty @D66
— Sophie in 't Veld (@SophieintVeld) January 24, 2021
And Ani Shakarishvili sent Kudos to Estonia as it becomes the only country in the world that has both a woman President and Prime Minister.
Kudos to #Estonia! 🇪🇪 🎉
Estonia becomes the only country in the world that has both a woman President and a (first ever!) woman #PrimeMinister! 💃🏼💃🏼#KajaKallas#breaktheGlassCeiling #WomenInLeadership #womenlead #genderequality https://t.co/GP3bvGt4B3 pic.twitter.com/j9LBII5FeQ
— Ani Shakarishvili,MD (@AniShakari) January 26, 2021
In fact, six out of eight Baltic and Nordic governments are now led by women!
#Estonia 1st female PM, #KajaKallas, was sworn in last night to lead the new cabinet after the former government collapsed in an alleged corruption scandal. It’s interesting to note that… pic.twitter.com/evBSDA90Me
— The Smart 7 Podcast (@TheSmart7pod) January 27, 2021
As MEP Frédérique Ries pointed out, a picture paints 1000 words!
So happy to see our former @reneweurope colleague @kajakallas become the first woman Prime Minister in Estonia!! 👏🏼🎉
The picture says it all ✅ #kajakallas pic.twitter.com/DkxihYyxBt— Frédérique Ries (@Frederiqueries) January 25, 2021