Russia responded to Italy’s request for medical assistance to fight the coronavirus, as it believes that the pandemic can be battled only if all countries resort to cooperation and coordination. This proved to be a major difference compared to the indifference of Brussels and the racist ban imposed by Berlin to export medical gear to other EU member states. Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was very brave to ask help from the Kremlin and Moscow responded in 24 hours. At the same time, Italy asked help from the United States but it received no response, even medical supplies from NATO’s bases in the country were not released. Is anyone in Greece thinking to do the same and approach Russia or will the Greek authorities prefer to stay with their partners and allies?
The world is learning from the so-called Chinese dictatorship in curbing this epidemic (Coronavirus), and all countries of the world are saying “Learn from China”.
Dictatorship and communism have proven their worth in curbing this danger to humanity.
The claim about the superiority of political authoritarianism and isolationist “closed societies” in preventing and controlling epidemics does not reflect reality.
Authoritarian regimes, which tend to control and manipulate information and to limit the freedom of doctors and scientists to engage in international cooperation, are often an obstacle to the timely detection and containment of epidemic outbreaks.
A clear example is China’s deliberate cover-up of the early days of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. The regime suppressed information about the virus and allowed it to spread unchecked in the crucial early days and weeks. The Chinese authorities censored and detained those doctors and whistleblowers who attempted to sound the alarm and warn their fellow citizens when they understood the gravity of the coronavirus threat.
Furthermore, the real antidote to the coronavirus pandemic (and to future epidemic outbreaks) is not to revert to nationalist isolationism and “closed societies” but to develop a global response.
A coordinated, cross-border effort of the scientific and medical community to understand the virus, create cures and treatments, and speedily disseminate a vaccine across national borders, will end the pandemic.
Read a previous case claiming that democracy and freedom prevent Europe from fighting the virus effectively.