The new Commander of the EUFOR Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Major General Alexander Platzer, took over the duty from the incumbent commander Major General Reinhard Trischak.
The handover ceremony took place today at the Butmir Base.
Platzer expressed satisfaction with taking the office and said that EUFOR is a strategic tool of the European Union and has a stabilizing impact on the region.
-There is still a lot to do and I look forward to facing the challenges and complex issues that await me in carrying out the mandate given to us by the United Nations Security Council- Platzer said.
He announced that EUFOR under his command would maintain close ties with security institutions in B&amp;H, and in particular with the B&amp;H Armed Forces, in order to provide a safe and stable environment for all.
-Major General Reinhard Trischak has set high standards in cooperation with domestic and international politicians, and I will do my best to build on the excellent results of my predecessors and continue our efforts to achieve an acceptable final state of affairs within our mandate and facilitate BiH's path to integration to the European Union- said Platzer.
Trischak emphasized that despite the challenges and difficulties, the set goals were achieved.
-My goal was to provide support in the implementation of the comprehensive EU strategy for B&amp;H, to ensure a safe and stable environment and to continue to conduct combined and collective training, and exercises with the Armed Forces of B&amp;H- said Trischak.
He said that the Armed Forces of B&amp;H is one of the institutions that enjoys the highest trust in the country.
Trischak has led EUFOR in B&amp;H since June 2019.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The handover ceremony took place today at the Butmir Base

He announced that EUFOR under his command would maintain close ties with security institutions in B&H, and in particular with the B&H Armed Forces

Major General Alexander Platzer takes over duty of EUFOR Commander

Germany recorded a new record number of deaths from the coronavirus on Thursday, prompting calls for an even tighter lockdown after the country emerged relatively unscathed in 2020.While Germany’s total deaths per capita since the pandemic began remain far lower than the United States, its daily per capita mortality since mid-December has often exceeded that of the United States.
Germany’s daily death toll currently equates to about 15 deaths per million people, versus a 13 U.S. deaths per one million.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 25,164 new coronavirus cases and 1,244 fatalities, bringing Germany’s total death toll since the start of the pandemic to 43,881.
Germany initially managed the pandemic better than its neighbours with a strict lockdown last spring, but it has seen a sharp rise in cases and deaths in recent months, with the RKI saying people were not taking the virus seriously enough.
RKI president Lothar Wieler said on Thursday restrictions were not being implemented as consistently as they were during the first wave and said more people should work from home, adding that the current lockdown needed to be tightened further.
Germany introduced a partial lockdown in November that kept shops and schools open, but it tightened the rules in mid-December, closing non-essential stores, and children have not returned to classrooms since the Christmas holidays.
Hospitals in 10 out of Germany’s 16 states are facing bottlenecks as 85% of the beds in their intensive care units were occupied by coronavirus patients, Wieler said.
A meeting of regional leaders planned for Jan. 25 to discuss whether to extend the lockdown into February should be brought forward, said Winfried Kretschmann, the premier of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to speak to ministers on Thursday about ramping up production of vaccines.
So far only about 1% of the German population has been vaccinated, or 842,455 people, the RKI reported.
Wieler said wearing heavy duty respirator masks, also known as FFP2, could help protect against 94% of particles, but only if worn correctly. The state of Bavaria has made FFP2 masks compulsory on public transport and in shops from Monday.
Germany has so far recorded 16 cases of people with a fast-spreading strain of the virus first detected in Britain and four with the strain from South Africa, Wieler said, although he admitted gene sequencing of samples was not being done broadly.
Wieler urged people who were offered a COVID-19 vaccination to accept it to relieve the strain on hospitals and said people should stick to social distance and hygiene rules.
-At the end of the year we will have this pandemic under control- Wieler said. Enough vaccines would then be available to inoculate the entire population, he said.

Germany’s daily death toll currently equates to about 15 deaths per million people, versus a 13 U.S. deaths per one million

A general view of a vaccination centre, temporarily set up in the Erika-Hess ice stadium to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Berlin, Germany, January 14, 2021.

Germany worried by record COVID-19 death toll

Milorad Dodik, chairman of the B&amp;H presidency, told Srna that the situation in the B&amp;H judiciary was catastrophic and that individuals would be satisfied if several RS officials were sentenced to several years in prison.

- An example of that is the icon in connection with which the whole harangue is constantly being led, even though Ukraine is not looking for it. There is a statement from the Agency for Coordination of Police Bodies of B&amp;H, which is responsible for cooperation with Interpol, that Interpol has no data on the claim of the icon. However, for some, this is not important at all, and they remained silent on the story when Fahrudin Radončić said that the B&amp;H ambassador to Pakistan issued more than 3,000 fake visas so that people could enter B&amp;H, and among them there were security threats - said Dodik.

He said that he never received an answer from Ukraine as to whether they were looking for the icon, nor were any data related to it provided.
- If Ukraine proves that it was looking for the icon before the date when I had a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, I will accept to hand it over. However, here it is only important that I am being attacked, just like Dragan Čović, the leader of the HDZ, and his associates. All this speaks enough about the judiciary in B&amp;H - said Dodik.

An example of that is the icon in connection with which the whole harangue is constantly being led, even though Ukraine is not looking for it, said Dodik

Dodik spoke about the icon he presented to the Russian Foreign Minister

Dodik said: If Ukrainians prove that they were searching for the icon before I gave it to Lavrov, I will return it

The Government of the Federation of B&amp;H adopted the Vaccination Plan against COVID-19 in the Federation of B&amp;H at today's session in Sarajevo and instructed the FB&amp;H Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health of FB&amp;H to implement it, each within its competences.
The plan is being implemented in cooperation with the competent authorities for the field of health in cantons, as well as health care institutions in the territory of the Federation of B&amp;H.
Other ministries and administration bodies in the Federation of B&amp;H are also in charge of implementing these conclusions, if it is assessed that the implementation of certain measures from the Plan is within their competence.
The FB&amp;H Ministry of Health and the FB&amp;H Institute of Public Health are in charge, each within its competences, to revise the Vaccination Plan if the epidemiological situation changes, i.e. new scientific knowledge about the vaccine, as well as changes in other conditions on which the implementation of vaccination depends.
The Public Health Institute is in charge of forwarding the Vaccination Plan, together with the conclusions, to the cantonal public health institutes, the FB&amp;H Ministry of Health and the cantonal ministries of health. The Government will inform the FB&amp;H Parliament of the adopted Vaccination Plan against COVID-19 in FB&amp;H, together with the conclusions.
The Government of FB&amp;H, together with the FB&amp;H Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance, undertook the necessary activities in a timely manner in order to ensure the procurement of the necessary vaccines against COVID-19 for the citizens of the Federation of B&amp;H. Namely, the vaccine is procured on the basis of concluded interstate agreements with GAVI through the COVAX mechanism, as well as through the EU mechanism - the European Plan for Public Health and Ensuring Optimal Management of COVID-19 through vaccination of the population in Europe.
The Vaccination Plan is implemented through the existing system of public health institutes in the Federation of B&amp;H, as well as health institutions in which vaccination is carried out. Vaccination against COVID-19 is voluntary and free.
The Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization has proposed priority groups in order to achieve the most effective result with vaccination against COVID-19, the Press Service of the FB&amp;H Government said.

Vaccination is voluntary and free

The plan is being implemented in cooperation with the competent authorities for the field of health in cantons, as well as health care institutions in the territory of the Federation of B&H

FB&H Government adopts Vaccination Plan against COVID-19

A full lockdown started in Lebanon Thursday, with residents barred even from grocery shopping and dependent on food deliveries, in a bid to slow a surge in novel coronavirus cases.
The new restrictions were only loosely respected in some areas of the country, however, after mass protests in recent years against a political elite held responsible for a deepening economic crisis.
The lockdown, ordered after some hospitals started to run out of intensive care beds, includes a 24-hour curfew until January 25th.
Non-essential workers are barred from leaving their homes, and supermarkets are supposed to operate delivery services only.
Those wishing to request an emergency exemption -- to see a doctor for example -- can do so by sending a mobile phone text message or by filling in a form online.
In the capital, roads were quieter than usual, while non-essential shops remained shuttered. Security forces stopped drivers at several checkpoints in the centre of the city.
Security forces said compliance with the new measures stood at 94 percent.
But in some areas, some people ventured out to buy groceries from local shops.

Recent days have seen Lebanon register record daily Covid-19 caseloads in one of the steepest increases in transmission worldwide.
In Geitawi Hospital in Beirut on Thursday, director Pierre Yared said the emergencies department was brimming with more than 30 people suffering from Covid-19 the previous day.
-The ER was filled with corona patients, there were no other patients- he said.
Firass Abiad, the director of the main state hospital treating Covid patients, warned the lockdown must not fail.
-In the last 24 hours alone, four Covid positive patients presented in cardiac arrest to our emergency room," he wrote on Twitter. "One of them was a 19 years old patient. This is serious.-
The strict lockdown -- complete with the ban on grocery shopping -- came into effect after caretaker health minister Hamad Hasan was admitted to hospital with Covid-19 late Wednesday, state media said.
Its announcement on Monday raised fears of food shortages in impoverished and remote regions where deliveries are not readily available.
For several days, Lebanese have flooded supermarkets and chemists in a desperate bid to stock up.
Some are worried the new restrictions will pile additional suffering on the country's poorest.
Lebanon, a country of more than six million, was already grappling with its worst economic downturn in decades when the pandemic hit.
Previous lockdowns have forced businesses to close and deprived some -- including many who earned money casually from day to day -- of an income in a country where around half the population lives in poverty.

The World Bank Group on Tuesday approved a $246 million aid package to help 786,000 vulnerable Lebanese, but it is unclear when that assistance will arrive.
In total, Lebanon has announced 231,936 cases since February last year, including 1,740 deaths.
Cases skyrocketed after authorities loosened restrictions during the holiday season, allowing restaurants and night clubs to remain open until 3:00 am, despite warnings from health professionals.
A partial lockdown in place since January 7 has failed to halt the spread of the virus.
Parliament is expected to convene Friday to examine a bill to allow the import and use of Covid-19 vaccines, which authorities have previously said will arrive in Lebanon by February.
A caretaker administration is overseeing the country's Covid-19 response.
The government resigned after a massive explosion of ammonium nitrate fertiliser at Beirut port last summer killed 200 people, wounded thousands and ravaged large parts of the capital.
But a deeply divided political class has been unable to agree on a new cabinet to launch urgently needed reforms.

The lockdown, ordered after some hospitals started to run out of intensive care beds, includes a 24-hour curfew until January 25th

Lebanese have been scrambling to stock up on essential supplies for days in readiness for the strict new lockdown under which supermarkets will offer delivery services only

Lebanon enters full lockdown to stem virus uptick

The Tax Administration of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina collected 5.14 billion KM of public revenues last year.
The Director of the Tax Administration, Šerif Isović, stated at a press conference held in Sarajevo today, that compared to the year before, there was a decrease in the collection of the revenues in the amount of 157 million KM or 2.98 percent.
He specified that, when it comes to the structure of public revenues, the majority comes from the salaries contributions in the amount of 3.64 billion KM, followed by income and profit tax in the amount of 355 million KM.
-The drop in the collection of contributions that support the pension and health care systems was less than one percent, which could be seen as a success in such a political and economic environment- said Isović.
He pointed out that the largest amount of public revenues was collected in the Sarajevo Canton, in which case, in 2020, a drop of 3.2 percent was recorded, but at the end of the year, the amount came to 1.94 billion KM.
Isović stated that this canton participates with 37.9 percent in the total collected public revenues in FBiH, while the Posavina Canton participates the least, with 0.97 percent.
-In the Tuzla Canton in 2020, the collection of revenues increased by two percent, due to the collection of certain liabilities from the past period, while the largest drop was recorded in the Zenica-Doboj and the Herzegovina-Neretva cantons with a little more than six percent- noted Isović.
He emphasized that the Tax Administration executed more than 5,600 controls in 2020, in which more than 183 million KM of unpaid tax liabilities were uncovered, which is why fines in the total amount of 5.97 million KM were issued against 3,095 taxpayers.
-Also, we were forced to submit 40 reports on execution of criminal offenses of tax evasion with estimated value exceeding 5.6 million KM- Isović underlined.
He added that the received debt on the basis of tax obligations exceeded three billion KM, and that this debt would inevitably grow without certain systemic solutions.

The largest amount of public revenues was collected in the Sarajevo Canton

When it comes to the structure of public revenues, the majority comes from the salaries contributions in the amount of 3.64 billion KM, followed by income and profit tax in the amount of 355 million KM

Isović: FB&H Tax Administration collected three percent less revenues in 2020

In the past 24 hours, 1,827 samples were registered with the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 168 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
New cases were registered in all the cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H, except in the Podrinje Canton.
In the past 24 hours, 532 patients have recovered. Currently, there are 15,532 active cases of SARS-CoV-2.
A total of five new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of BiH in the past 24 hours. 
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 2,342.
Today, 15 new cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the Brčko District of B&amp;H.
In the last 24 hours, 1,107 samples were tested at the Institute of Public Health of the entity of the RS, and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 160 people.
In the last 24 hours, seven deaths were reported to the RS Institute of Public Health.
So far, a total of 1,923 people have died in the entity.
The total number of hospitalized in the RS is 582, in the University Clinical Center 228, and in general hospitals 354.
A total of 5,838 people are currently under health supervision, the RS Institute of Public Health announced.

New cases were registered in all the cantons in the Federation of B&H, except in the Podrinje Canton

In the past 24 hours, 532 patients have recovered

COVID-19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H, with 12 deaths in the last 24 hours

Due to the announced reconstruction of the Crnaja tunnel, today businessmen from Jablanica, but also Konjic and Mostar, blocked the main road M-17, Mostar - Sarajevo for 15 minutes.
Businessmen are asking for firm written guarantees from the PE "Roads of FB&amp;H" and the Government of FB&amp;H about how long the suspension of traffic will last during the execution of works.
Ahmedin Šabanagić, the director of "Autoprevoz" Mostar, said that this road was a lifeline for them.
- Our business depends on that, any delay longer than 15 minutes will mean double costs for us - he said.
Jusuf Džafić, president of the Association of Businessmen of Jablanica, said that today it was shown that this is not only a problem of businessmen from Jablanica, but also of Konjic and Mostar, which together represent more than 1,000 businessmen.
-If the delays will be two hours, then let them tell us- he said.

They are dissatisfied because an alternative route has not been provided and in this way, they say, their business will be endangered

Businessmen gathered in front of the tunnel

Businessmen blocked traffic due to the renovation of the Crnaja tunnel

A mining accident occurred in the Breza mine today. As we were told, five miners were injured, one of whom was killed.
He was buried by the earth in the pit, while the other four passed just have minor injuries. They came out of the pit on their feet, while for the fifth, unfortunately, there was no rescue. Colleagues tried to pull him out, but he showed no signs of life. Mining inspectors and the Zenica – Doboj Canton Prosecutor's Office are on the spot, as well as the brothers of the injured miner.
This information was confirmed for "Avaz" from EPB&amp;H.
Senad Sarajlić, executive director for production in EPB&amp;H, told "Avaz" that they were informed of the accident and that the earth had fallen on the miners.

This information was confirmed for "Avaz" from Elektroprivreda B&H

Five miners were injured in the Breza mine, one was killed

Turkish citizen Caner (Fuat) Taylan, suspected of double murder, was arrested today, "Avaz" has learned.
Members of the Ministry of the Interior of Zenica-Doboj Canton have been searching since yesterday for a Turk who first killed Ramiz Odobašić, whose body was found in the bushes, and then Arslan Mujić, a citizen of Zenica who was a foreign exchange trader.

As we find out, he was arrested at the Raško polje site at around 1:45 PM, after the police had been following his tracks since last night.
As we find out, last night he was followed by the Police Officers of the Specialist Support Unit of the Ministry of Interior of the Central Bosnia Canton, in cooperation with the Criminal Police Sector and the Busovača Police Station.
Since last night, when the van was found, the police have been carefully following the clues, and today he was arrested.

As we find out, he was arrested at the Raško polje site at around 1:45 PM, after the police had been following his tracks since last night

We reveal the details of the arrest of the Turk: Special forces followed his tracks, this is the location where he was found

The financial investigation of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H is initiated in the case against the accused Osman Mehmedagić Osmica, the director of ISA and the head of the Cyber department in the agency Muhamed Pekić, who are charged with abuse of office, has revealed shocking data on how the agency's leaders bought real estate and how much money they had at their disposal.

<h2>Čedić and Sarajlić were questioned, there is no trace of money</h2>

After we recently announced why Šaćir Čedić, owner of the Vatra cafe chain in Sarajevo, and Asim Sarajlić, SDA delegate in the House of Peoples of the B&amp;H Parliament, testified in the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H yesterday and the day before yesterday, there is no trace of the money with which Mehmedagić bought the house from Čedić worth 116,000 KM, and the origin of 20,000 KM (the contract for the vehicle was 62,000, and only 42,000 was paid from the account) which was paid to Sarajlić for the sale of the Audi Q5 to Mehmedagić's wife Amela Šehović, new details come to light.
Thus, it was established that the accused Pekić, who according to the indictment of the Prosecutor's Office of B&amp;H asked the head of "BH Post" for information who sent an anonymous report against Mehmedagić, did not withdraw his salary from the account for a year, and became the owner of an apartment in the center of Sarajevo worth 300.000 KM. Pekić bought this property from the former selector of the national football team, Mehmed Baždarević.
In addition, we learn that the investigation established that Pekić collected 100,000 KM in the account, which he then withdrew in cash. The only transaction he performed through the account was online betting. However, despite such data from the investigation, the Court of B&amp;H decided to assign Pekić a lawyer ex officio, more precisely that the state pays his lawyer with people's money.

Such a decision was made by Judge Branko Perić.
On the other hand, details related to the anonymous report also come to light, which is why Osmica used all resources to determine who sent it, citing such an action as a state secret. More precisely, everything that the ISA employees reported to the Prosecutor's Office turned out to be true. From the fact that the son of Bisera Turković, Ali Turković, is employed in ISA, who was then transferred to the Embassy of B&amp;H in Qatar, to the fact that Pekić's sister is employed in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H (MFA).
The documentation reveals that Pekić's sister Amina Pekić was appointed a civil servant in this state institution in January 2019. She was appointed Secretary in the Department for OSCE, Council of Europe and Regional Initiatives of the Sector for Multilateral Relations - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B&amp;H, starting from February 1st, 2019. This decision was also published in the Official Gazette of B&amp;H.
However, as it was later revealed, her university degree and the diploma she submitted are disputable.

<h2>Tomorrow is the continuation of the process, who is in a hurry in the Court of B&H</h2>

The trial of Mehmedagić and Pekić is scheduled to continue tomorrow in the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Individuals in the Court are obviously in a hurry to end this process as soon as possible because a hearing has been scheduled twice in one week. Tomorrow, ISA employees Damir Bevanda, Sakib Vuković and Amina Ohranović will testify.
Prosecutor Čavka also proposed the hearing of Aljoša Čampara, the Federal Minister of police, but that will be decided later.

Muhamed Pekić did not withdraw his salary from his account for a year, and he became the owner of an apartment in the center of Sarajevo worth 300,000 KM

Osman Mehmedagić Osmica and Muhamed Pekić

How did Osmica's agent earn 100,000 marks?!

The SBB presidency held a session in Sarajevo today and adopted several measures and conclusions on the reorganization of the party after the end of the 2020 local elections.
The Presidency unanimously passed the Decision on the expulsion of Azem Cviko, a councilor in the Municipal Council of Novi Grad Sarajevo, from the membership of SBB. Mr. Cviko's decision to support the SDA-led majority is so much heavier due to the fact that his vote was decisive for the SDA to retain a majority in the Municipal Council. 
The leadership of the Alliance for a Better Future of B&amp;H, even during the resignation of Fahrudin Radončić to the position of the Minister of Security of B&amp;H, made a decision to end the coalition with the SDA at all levels. The only exception is the FB&amp;H Government in the technical mandate, where it is not possible to withdraw the SBB ministers, because that would mean that the FB&amp;H Government can practically be taken over by the HDZ B&amp;H.
The SBB presidency once again calls on the SDA and HDZ B&amp;H to form a new FB&amp;H government as soon as possible, in which there will be no SBB ministers.

Mr. Cviko's decision to support the SDA-led majority is so much heavier due to the fact that his vote was decisive for the SDA to retain a majority in the Municipal Council, SBB said

SBB presidency excluded Azem Cviko for supporting majority led by SDA in Novi Grad Sarajevo

Both Pope Francis and his predecessor, former pope Benedict XVI, have received the coronavirus vaccine, the Vatican said on Thursday.
-I can confirm that, as part of the Vatican City State vaccination programme to date, the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and the Pope Emeritus- spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
It had already been reported that Francis, 84, had received the jab on Wednesday, the first day of the Vatican's vaccination drive, but officials declined to confirm the news.
The Vatican News portal said Benedict, 93, was given a dose on Thursday morning. 
The former pontiff, who stepped down in 2013 and now lives in a converted monastery in the Vatican gardens, is increasingly frail.
In an interview broadcast at the weekend, Francis urged people to get the vaccine.
-There is a suicidal denial which I cannot explain, but today we have to get vaccinated- he told Canale 5.
The Argentine is known for his love of being among his flock and has often been pictured without a mask.
But he has limited his interaction with the public since the virus first swept Italy early last year.
There were concerns about how he would cope if he became infected, given both his age and his history of lung problems.
The pope almost died when he was 21 after developing pleurisy, according to biographer Austen Ivereigh, which caused him to have part of one of his lungs removed.
He recalled the incident in a recent book, "Let Us Dream", saying: "I have some sense of how people with coronavirus feel as they struggle to breathe on ventilators."
Media reports suggested Pope Francis received the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, which was authorised for use in the European Union on December 21.

In an interview broadcast at the weekend, Francis urged people to get the vaccine

Pope Francis wearing a face mask attends an inter-religious prayer service for peace along with other religious representatives in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, a church on top of Rome's Capitoline Hill, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 20, 2020.

Pope Francis, ex-pope Benedict get virus vaccines

Members of the Security Committee of the Parliament of the Federation of B&amp;H are discussing the current security situation caused by the migrant crisis, concretely in the Una-Sana Canton, at an emergency session taking place in Bihać today.
The meeting is attended by relevant officials from all levels of government in B&amp;H.
Representatives of the BiH Ministry of Security, the Service for Foreigners Affairs, the FB&amp;H Police Administration, as well as the Government of the USC and the City of Bihać, responded to the invitation of members of the FB&amp;H Parliament to attend the meeting.
Chairman of the Security Committee, Damir Mašić announced a concrete discussion and the adoption of conclusions that will demand fro the competent state institutions to take full responsibility for the current situation.
It was emphasized that it was inadmissible that the burden of the migrant crisis is put only on the Federation of B&amp;H, i.e. the Una-Sana Canton, the Sarajevo Canton and the Tuzla Canton.

The meeting is attended by relevant officials from all levels of government in B&H

It was emphasized that it was inadmissible that the burden of the migrant crisis is put only on the Federation of B&H

Emergency session of FB&H Parliament's Security Committee taking place in Bihać

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday tasked officials with launching mass coronavirus vaccinations from next week, touting Russia's homemade jab as the world's best.
After being the first country to register a vaccine for use, Russia is looking to leap ahead of other countries in the race to inoculate its population of 146 million.
Russia in August registered Sputnik V -- named after the Soviet-era satellite -- months ahead of Western competitors but before the start of large-scale clinical trials, which left some experts wary.
"I ask you to begin the mass vaccination of the entire population next week," Putin told officials at a televised government meeting. 
"The Russian vaccine is the best in the world," he added.
Putin said Russia should "get relevant infrastructure ready" to boost production of the vaccine, which Moscow is promoting to other countries as cheaper and easier to transport than others jabs.
"Thank God our vaccine does not require extreme conditions during transportation," Putin said.
"This is much simpler and more effective," he added, referring to Western-made jabs. 
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova told Putin during the meeting that Russia was ready to launch the mass vaccination from Monday.
"We will have to pretty seriously ramp up the vaccination campaign," Golikova added, noting that more than 2 million doses will be made available by the end of January.

Some experts are sceptical however, saying Russia's biotech industry depends on foreign reagents and equipment and that the country may not be fully prepared to launch mass production of coronavirus vaccines.
Putin had himself said in October that Russia did not have enough equipment to launch the mass vaccine rollout.
"The vaccine cannot be produced in three to four days," said Saint Petersburg-based geneticist Kirill Volkov.
He noted that adenovirus-based vaccines like Sputnik have never before been mass-produced in Russia -- or elsewhere -- and said production snags were likely.
"It's new territory," he told AFP.
But Anton Gopka, co-founder of biotech investment firm ATEM Capital, said he was "quite optimistic" about Russia's production capabilities. 
He noted however it was not clear if all Russian companies tasked with producing vaccines had managed to set up mass production lines.
"It is hard, but it is a standard process of trial and error, stabilisation, scaling and quality control," he said.
"It may take more weeks to reach full capacity and comply with international documentation, but quality is more important than speed."
Russia began vaccinations with Sputnik in early December even though it was still in its third phase of clinical trials, inoculating workers at high risk of becoming infected.

The Sputnik V vaccine uses two different human adenovirus vectors and is administered in two doses with a 21-day gap. 
It can be stored at between two and eight degrees Celsius (between 35.6 and 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit) instead of the temperatures far below freezing required for some other vaccines.
Russia has also registered a second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona.
The country has in recent months been battered by a second wave of coronavirus infections but the Kremlin has held back from introducing sweeping restrictions like in the beginning of the pandemic.
Recorded new daily cases have been decreasing in recent days.
As of Wednesday, authorities had reported more than 3.47 million infections and more than 63,000 deaths, although analysts say that Russian health authorities have been under-reporting the country's fatalities. 
Russia in December said its coronavirus death toll was more than three times higher than it had previously reported, making it the country with the third-largest number of fatalities with more than 186,000 deaths.
On Monday, Russia said 1.5 million people around the world had received Sputnik V, though it did not provide a breakdown by country.

Russia has also registered a second coronavirus vaccine, EpiVacCorona

Putin: The Russian vaccine is the best in the world

Putin says Russia to start mass vaccinations next week

In the past 24 hours, 2,711 samples were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H, of which 282 were positive for SARS-CoV-2.
New cases have been registered in all the cantons in the Federation of B&amp;H.
In the past 24 hours, 830 patients recovered. Currently, there are 15,901 active cases of SARS-CoV-2.
A total of 19 new deaths were reported to the Public Health Institute of the Federation of B&amp;H in the past 24 hours. 
As of today, the number of deaths in the Federation of B&amp;H is 2,337.
Today, nine new cases of coronavirus infection were registered in the Brčko District of B&amp;H.
In the last 24 hours, 1,375 samples were tested at the Institute of Public Health of the RS and coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed in 177 people.
In the last 24 hours, five deaths were reported to the Republic of&nbsp; Srpska Institute of Public Health.
So far, a total of 1,916 people have died in the RS.
The total number of hospitalized in the RS is 585, in the University Clinical Center Banja Luka 230, and in general hospitals 355.
There are 5,741 people currently under health supervision, the RS Institute of Public Health announced.

In the past 24 hours, 830 patients recovered in FB&H

New cases have been registered in all the cantons in the Federation of B&H

Major General Alexander Platzer takes over duty of EUFOR Commander

Germany worried by record COVID-19 death toll

Dodik said: If Ukrainians prove that they were searching for the icon before I gave it to Lavrov, I will return it

FB&H Government adopts Vaccination Plan against COVID-19

Lebanon enters full lockdown to stem virus uptick

Isović: FB&H Tax Administration collected three percent less revenues in 2020

COVID-19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H, with 12 deaths in the last 24 hours

Businessmen blocked traffic due to the renovation of the Crnaja tunnel

Five miners were injured in the Breza mine, one was killed

We reveal the details of the arrest of the Turk: Special forces followed his tracks, this is the location where he was found

How did Osmica's agent earn 100,000 marks?!

SBB presidency excluded Azem Cviko for supporting majority led by SDA in Novi Grad Sarajevo

Pope Francis, ex-pope Benedict get virus vaccines

Emergency session of FB&H Parliament's Security Committee taking place in Bihać

Putin says Russia to start mass vaccinations next week

COVID-19 confirmed in 468 people in B&H, with 24 deaths in the last 24 hours

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Isović: FB&H Tax Administration collected three percent less revenues in 2020

COVID-19 confirmed in 343 people in B&H, with 12 deaths in the last 24 hours

Businessmen blocked traffic due to the renovation of the Crnaja tunnel

Five miners were injured in the Breza mine, one was killed

We reveal the details of the arrest of the Turk: Special forces followed his tracks, this is the location where he was found

How did Osmica's agent earn 100,000 marks?!

SBB presidency excluded Azem Cviko for supporting majority led by SDA in Novi Grad Sarajevo

Pope Francis, ex-pope Benedict get virus vaccines

Emergency session of FB&H Parliament's Security Committee taking place in Bihać

Putin says Russia to start mass vaccinations next week

COVID-19 confirmed in 468 people in B&H, with 24 deaths in the last 24 hours