PRISTINA (Kosovo), May 29 ― Kosovo said yesterday it agreed to buy 1.2 million Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccines, the first shots bought by the government as it works to speed up inoculations.

Kosovo so far has received around 180,000 vaccines, mostly from an EU-funded programme.

"Kosovo has secured 1.2 million vaccines in a deal with Pfizer,” Health Minister Arben Vitia told a news conference.

"We are determined to continue with a much faster process to vaccinate 60 per cent of the population by the end of 2021.”

Vitia said the rollout would be launched on June 15 with the goal of getting some 300,000-400,000 people vaccinated every month.

The country of 1.8 million people has registered 107,000 coronavirus infections so far and 2,242 deaths.

The infection rate has decreased significantly, with just 216 people testing positive and five dying in the past seven days.

The government yesterday eased restrictions by lifting a curfew and ending the mandatory wearing of face masks in the streets. ― Reuters