Vlahutin: “Concrete evidence needed for fight against organized crime”

14/02/2018 15:26

For the EU Ambassador to Tirana, Romana Vlahutin, Albania needs to provide clear evidence, proactive investigation, punishing of criminal groups, including important members.

“The contributions of member countries and experts should be added so that they can increase the pressure for implementing the reforms. To be clear, there should be clear evidence and pro-active investigations concluded with trials and punishments of a criminal organization, including important members of groups that traffic cannabis. This should be treated as an urgent matter”, Vlahutin declared.

However, the key is political will and determination to treat the problem without compromise.

“In 2017 we saw for the first time a significant drop of the cannabis production. We are waiting for the Guardia di Finanza report next summer so that we can make sure that victory is for a long-term. We also saw a number of successful police operations in Shkoder, Fier, Lezha and other cities hit by criminal groups. We are seeing a lot of determination in the process of seizing criminal assets. I believe that this is just the beginning. It should certainly be reinforced and followed by harsher operations that should attack key criminal interests”, the EU diplomat underlined.

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