The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) discovered two years ago that the purchase of anti-covid vaccine doses by the Romanian Government contained irregularities and requested the Ministry of Health the contracts concluded. The Ministry's response was that the contracts did not exist, so FACIAS asked for these documents in court. The court will therefore give its verdict in the case initiated by FACIAS against the Ministry of Health on 8 December.
Recently, the National Anticorruption Directorate also confirmed FACIAS's suspicions by opening several criminal cases for abuse of office and confirming that the foundation was right to request them. FACIAS was among the first organisations in Romania to uncover irregularities in the purchase of anti-covid vaccine doses by the Romanian Government. As early as two years ago, FACIAS asked the Ministry of Health for access to the contracts, but the response was surprising: the contracts "do not exist". As a result, FACIAS went to court to obtain these documents. Former prime minister Florin Cîțu has already been questioned by the DNA and placed under criminal investigation.
DEBATE: A BILLION EUROS SPENT ON UNNECESSARY VACCINES
The former government administration purchased almost 53 million doses of anti-covid vaccine, a decision that even at the time seemed unnecessary and extremely expensive for the Romanian state, not only today when this is confirmed by the authorities. The question that arises, and which remains unanswered, is why? Why was approximately €1 billion spent on vaccines? This is despite the fact that there were already 3 doses available for every Romanian eligible for vaccination. The vaccination rate was far from 100% anyway.
Under these circumstances, FACIAS invites the public to an open debate on this issue. What was the reason for the unnecessary €1 billion purchase? Corruption, incompetence, abuse? It is important to understand not only the mechanisms behind these decisions, but also how to prevent such situations in the future.
FACIAS PRESS OFFICE