Information TechnologyWeekly Solutions Newsletter Nr. II—June 2017

Demiraj– Cutillo Urge for Zero-Tolerance Against Narcotics cultivators and traffickers

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The Minister of Interior, Dritan Demiraj met on Thursday with the Italian Ambassador in , Alberto Cutillo. Italian Ambassador Cutillo congratulated Minister Demiraj on appointing Minister of

Interior in those delicate and important days for the country. He spoke with Minister Demiraj for important fields of collaboration between the two states and expressed the desire to extend the

cooperation. The fight against cannabis cultivation was among the highlights of this meeting. Both parties shared the same attitude onthe

necessity of zero-tolerance against the cultivation and trafficking. The upcoming electoral process and the avoidance of police involvement in this process was also subject of discussion between Demiraj and Cutillo. Ambassador Cutillo urged the State

Police to act in accordance to the law in order to guarantee a free and electoral process.

Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES European report on drugs, Minister Demiraj: National anti-cannabis plan and actions for We will come out of the current map electoral process

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, with its headquarters in Lisbon, published the annual report Vice Minister of Internal Affairs Rovena Voda, in which they who chairs the Task-Force in the framework mention for the increased cannabis of National Anti-Cannabis Plan, held a cultivation and drug traffic in Europe. meeting in with prefects of the regions focused on the main topics of this The Minister of Interior, Dritan Demiraj, said programme. he is committed to take Albania out of the In attendance of the meeting was also Vice cannabis cultivation map. Demiraj Minister Stefan Çipa, who underlined one of started an intensive communication not only the most important assignments the prefect with police leaders, but also with leaders of has to carry out in the days ahead. other agencies, such as the Secret Service Ms Voda stressed that prefects as part of the Director, Chief Prosecutor and Prosecutor of Task Force on fight against narcotics at Serious Crimes, for a coordinated reaction regional scale have a tough but important and for an uncompromised fight against this duty to fulfill as part of this process involving phenomenon. a number of institutions. Speaking about the The Ministry of Interior underlined that this novelties brought in by the National Anti- fight will be extended from the total Cannabis Plan, she cited a series of indicators inspection of the territory to the destruction that measure the success of structures of criminal groups who are involved with charged with preventing and hitting this drug traffic, and also police officers who help phenomenon. them. “The key indicators assess the success in identification, discovery, arrest and bringing The Minister of Interior, Dritan Demiraj, before justice the sponsors and heads of congratulated the State Police for the recent criminal gangs and rings. In contrast to the achievement on preventing the drug traffic, previous strategic approaches, the practice and guarantees full support to all structures pursued by law-enforcement agencies, the for implementing the Action plan against the plan acts as a guide for the institutions’ Cultivation and Traffic of Cannabis for the response on the early stages of cannabis 2017-2020 period. cultivation.

Nr II, June 2017 2 Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES Austrian Federal Minister of Interior Observers: none at the moment (From 2006 congratulates Minister of Interior Demiraj: until its accession to the EU, Croatia had the Strengthening regional partnership status of an observer to the Salzburg Forum) .

Minister of Internal Affairs, Dritan Demiraj, meets Elbasan Police Department

The Minister of Interior Dritan Demiraj held a meeting at the Elbasan Local Police Directorate. Minister Demiraj asked the heads and the police officers of Police Department in Elbasan County to work intensively on the conduct of the elections, in order to provide a safe and peaceful election process, uncompromising fight TIRANA, June 2 – Federal Minister of the against the cultivation and trafficking of Interior, of Republic of Austria, Wolfang narcotics, a monitoring and striking of various Sobotka congratulated Albanian counterpart criminal groups that may affect the electoral Dritan Demiraj on Friday on his position as process. Minister of Interior while expressed The meeting in Elbasan follows the intensive appreciation to his experience and the meetings that Minister Demiraj is undertaking in excellent cooperation between Austria and all the Local Directorates of the State Police. Albania. Austrian Federal Minister of Interior, Sobotka One Ton Cannabis Found in Vegetables and demanded Albanian counterpart Demiraj to Fruits Truck strengthen regional partnership in the frame of Salzburg Forum Ministerial Conference, a meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe.

Salzburg Forum Durresi police found around 1 ton of The Salzburg Forum is a Central European cannabis sativa early on Wednesday in a security partnership based on an initiative of truck with fruits and vegetables. The truck the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. was trying to pass by Durresi Harbour when Salzburg Forum Member States: Austria, the police during the routine control Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, discovered the huge amount of drugs. They Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and have immediately arrested the driver, a Slovenia. Group of Friends: Western Balkan citizen from Macedonia. The truck was countries and Moldova directed to Italy.

Nr II, June 2017 3 Information Technology Solutions ACTIVITIES Cooperation Protocol for Tourist Season level will be more efficacious as part of the Signed between the Police of Montenegro efforts to fulfill the common priorities as well and Albania. as those in the region’s interest and beyond. Cooperation between the Interpol offices of the two police is to be appreciated particularly in exchange of information and coordination of joint actions. At the end of the meeting the two peers signed the Cooperation Protocol “During 2017 tourist season.” State Police director general, Haki Çako, accompanied by representatives of State Vlora, Speedboat with 658 Kg of Cannabis Police have held a meeting in the city of Seized Podgorica with Montenegro Police Director General, Slavko Stojanovic. During the meeting the two counterparts also signed the protocol of cooperation agreement during 2017 tourist season between the Police of Montenegro and Albania. A speedboat loaded with 685 Kg of Cannabis State Police director general Haki Çako Sativa was seized on Saturday by the Vlora expressed his thanks for the reception and at police forces. The speedboat was found the same time for fruitful cooperation hidden in the forest, in proximity of Vjosa between the two police directorates adding river gorge. that this cooperation is driven by the same The police raid that led to the narcotics geographic police interest as well as the quantity seizure finalized an inquiry based on shared priorities in the light of EU confidential information that lasted several integration. days. “We are willing to fight together the A total of 67 scotch-sealed packages and 4 organized crime, drugs and human beings large bags were found scattered among the trafficking, cross border crime and terrorism. woods, around the speedboat. The It’s time to tight up control on green border speedboat’s location near the river’s gorge and border crossing points setting up task raised suspicions that the narcotics quantity forces involving representatives of two would be smuggled to Italy through maritime police,” according to Çako. For his part, ways. director general of Montenegro Police, An extensive search by the police forces is Slavko Stojanovic, highlighted the excellent still ongoing in the surrounding area aiming cooperation with the Police of Albanian the capture of the people involved in this state. He added that cooperation at police attempted.

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