Albania’s President to convene National Council of Security in response to alarming cannabis cultivation

Shkodra, Nov 01 (Tirana Echo) – The President of Albania Bujar Nishani has announced today that he will convene the National Council of Security in response to the worsened situation of massive cannabis cultivation across the country, in what seems to be a further clash between Albania’s President and Prime Minister.

During a meeting in Shkodra in northwest Albania, President Nishani confirmed for the media that he will soon convene the National Council of Security as ‘cannabis has become a serious phenomenon and of huge proportions, bringing crime and keeping citizens away from legitimate means”.

The announcement has come at the same time while EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos sent a letter to Albania’s Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri praising the Government’s efforts in fighting cannabis cultivation.

“We will continue to support Albania in its fight against cannabis cultivation and I as Commissioner would like to personally praise your efforts in this direction”, said Avramopoulos in his letter to Tahiri.

Cannabis cultivation has more than quadrupled over this year with a network of drug barons cultivating and protecting parcels across the country, in what has become one of the biggest headaches for Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama who is accused by the opposition democratic party of being linked to drug lords for financial purposes.

Last month, Albanian Justice Minister Ylli Manjani said that Albania“should respond with tougher measures and if necessary the army should also get out there”, suggesting that the situation is critical and can’t be handled by the police forces.

As Albania expects its next progress report by the European Commission on whether the EU will open accession talks for membership, the country’s public discourse has been set to fire by allegations that its government is at the center of a huge drug trade which makes use of its extensive Adriatic coastline to ship tons of marijuana to Italy’s shore.

Albania is required by the EU to seriously tackle its major corruption and organised crime problem if it wants to convince member states to open membership accession talks.

The European Commission publishes its progress report in November while member states have to vote during their December Council meeting on whether to open the green light for Albania.