Wednesday, July 16, 2014

France, Germany support Albania in fighting corruption, organized crime

TIRANA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- France and Germany have guaranteed their support for Albania in fighting corruption and organized crime.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere expressed the stance on Tuesday during a meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in Tirana, capital of Albania.

According to Albanian Telegraphic Agency, the meeting stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in fighting organized crime and corruption beyond a country's territory.
Rama briefed the ministers on the reforming and strengthening of Albania's law enforcement agencies, including the establishment of the Albanian National Bureau of Investigation (BKH), a project which was hailed by the two ministers.

Cazeneuve and De Maiziere recognized Albania's efforts in the fight against corruption and organized crime, underlining that cooperation and stronger communication between countries are important for success in this war.

The meeting also focused the success of the Albanian police operation in Lazarat, a village in southern Albania notorious for illegal marijuana production, as evidence of the government's strong will to fight the cultivation and trafficking of narcotics.

Last month, Albanian police destroyed about 3 tons of marijuana and some cannabis sativa plants and seized some weapons and ammunition in one day in an operation focusing on the village.
The operation came as part of the Albanian new Socialist-led government's campaign to wipe out the country's drug economy, in a bid to obtain European Union candidate status.

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