Events

MINSK, 30 June (BelTA) – Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe’s Cooperation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) Jan Malinowski took note of positive experience in cooperation with Belarus at a conference in Minsk, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Interior Ministry.

“We have already gained positive experience in cooperation with Belarus in part of monitoring possible movement of drugs through airports. The drugs market is fast-moving, and it is of high importance to hear every state in order to take into account all their best practices,” said Jan Malinowski.

Acting head of the main department on drugs control and counter-trafficking in persons of the Interior Ministry of Belarus Andrei Saladovnikov noted that quick response to new drugs threats is the number one goal for all the stakeholders.

Attending the conference were international experts, representatives of the law-enforcement bodies of Belarus, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Healthcare Ministry and the Customs Committee. They discussed the situation on the international drugs market, social adaptation of drug addicts released from detention facilities, anti-drug legislation of various European countries and efficient prevention of drug use among the youth.

Pompidou Group was set up in 1971 at the initiative of French President Georges Pompidou. In 1980, the group was incorporated into the institutional framework of the Council of Europe. It serves as a platform for coordinating the drug combating activities at the EU level. The group comprises 36 countries.