BELGRADE, August 19. /TASS/. Republika Srpska (a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina) intends to order 1 mln doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine before the end of the year, head of the Representative Office of Republika Srpska in Russia (a part of the republic’s Cabinet of Ministers) Dusko Perovic said in an interview with the Glas Srpske portal on Wednesday.

"We directed an official inquiry on behalf of Republika Srpska that we are interested in obtaining the vaccine when it is certified. Additionally, republic’s Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic sent an official inquiry via the Russian embassy. The prime minister said that 1 mln doses would be enough for us to start with," he said, adding that the vaccine may arrive in the republic before the year’s end.

Commenting on the displeasure with such talks of the Bosnian part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the representative stated that this is related to the unprincipled economic competition. "We are talking about lobbying the people who are outraged over Russian pharmaceuticals, although they are 30% cheaper than the Western ones while being of equal, if not better, quality. Their outrage has to do with politics and somebody’s economic interest," he said.

The representative of the Cabinet of Ministers also reported about the upcoming visit of Milorad Dodik, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to Russia this fall and expressed hope for the soonest restoration of the economic and political cooperation interrupted by the pandemic.

According to the latest data, Republika Srpska has a population of about 1,150,000 people.

On August 11, Russia became the first country worldwide to register the vaccine against the coronavirus which was named Sputnik V. The preparation was developed by the Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Healthcare Ministry. It passed clinical trials in June - July. It is based on a known platform previously used for other vaccines. According to the Healthcare Ministry, experience of use of such preparations shows that they are capable of ensuring a lengthy immunity of up to two years. Head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev stated that Russia had already received requests from 20 countries to supply 1 bln doses of the vaccine.