President Ilir Meta has called on the government and state institutions to focus on preventing the expected rise in cannabis cultivation in the country, following the latest report by the Europol and European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
“The report […] is a strong alarm bell that should awaken and unite all forces and efforts to never allow the recurrence of this cancerous phenomenon for the society, which has so much damaged the image of Albania,” Meta wrote on Facebook.
The President warned state institutions against neglecting the report, and reminded everyone that the fight against drug cultivation is one of the conditions for Albania’s EU integration.
“Focusing on the fight against cannabis is indispensable for the State Police, Secret Service, Prosecution Office and other law enforcement agencies,” Meta stated.
In Albania, which is referred to as “a producer of herbal cannabis for the European market”,
The EU Drug Markets report stated that the cultivation of cannabis in Albania will increase following the COVID-19 pandemic due to the fact that resources are diverted to enforcing restriction measures. The report also noted that trafficking routes in the region are still in operation.
