Well-oriented strategies

“Your path is more effective than that seen in many countries: Belarusians are well prepared. Owing to your geographical position, your country is on the East-West drug smuggling corridor. I think you should continue your strategy, developing co-operation with foreign partners. Certainly, you don’t need to copy someone else’s experience, as every country has its own foundation, but some aspects may be useful. For example, European approaches to counteracting the distribution of HIV-infection,” states Mr. Malinowski.

Convinced that it’s impossible to cope with drug smuggling without being flexible, he states, “The manufacturing, transit and spread of drugs are constantly changing, so we must react accordingly.” He believes that discouraging drug consumption among young people requires more than prohibitive measures, or restrictions to access to drug websites. He comments, “We must campaign for better awareness and encourage interest in healthy living.”

Belarus was represented at the forum by physicians, judicial experts, drug controllers, investigative workers and members of the public Prosecutor’s Office. Having discussed the drug situation in Europe and drug enforcement policy, experts moved to details, notes Andrey Saladovnikov, the Acting Head of the Department for Drug Enforcement and Counteraction of Human Trafficking. He states, “We discussed the appearance of new psychotropic drugs on the European drug market, and new ways of selling online, as well as how various countries are acting to counteract drug use and encourage rehabilitation of drug addicts. All this is important. Belarus has chosen a wise path, making it less than worthwhile for drug sellers to enter its territory. However, studying world experience will be useful.”

The Pompidou Group was created in 1971 at the initiative of the President of France, Georges Pompidou. In 1980, it joined the Council of Europe. It co-ordinates antidrug actions across Europe.