Sali Berisha: “Albania is the only narco-state in Europe. The Prime Minister of Albania issued 138 licenses for drug cultivation. If the law allows cultivation for medical purposes on only 200 hectares, this time he gave 29,000 hectares – a number that translates into more than 100 million cannabis plants. One plant is worth from 500 to 1,000 euros.”
With this statement on June 3rd, Sali Berisha surprised many members of the Assembly of the European People’s Parties, the vast majority of whom support the Albania’s European integration, while in Tirana it caused harsh reactions, as the opposition leader tarnishes the country’s image in the English language worldwide.
The accusations, which have been repeated dozens of times in Tirana and at various meetings with internationals by representatives of the Albanian opposition, are totally false. In an official response to Report TV’s request for information, the National Agency for Cannabis Control in the country says that not only has no license been issued for cannabis cultivation, but the process has not even started.
National Agency for Cannabis Control: “Licenses or permits for the cultivation of medical or industrial cannabis are issued based on application at the moment this process opens, as well as on the fulfillment of conditions and criteria defined within the current legal framework. We inform you that this process has not yet been opened.”
Also, in response to Report TV’s question about which companies have applied so far for licenses, the Agency replies clearly: “The process of issuing permits and licenses has not yet started and consequently there are no applications.”
The second part of Berisha’s statement has been denied by the Ministry of Agriculture itself, whose proposal was approved in the Council of Ministers for the cadastral zones where industrial cannabis will be cultivated. The Ministry of Agriculture says that not only has no permit been given, but also the 138 cadastral zones defined where industrial cannabis can be planted, which the head of the PD refers to as licenses, do not mean that the entire area will be used for this purpose.
Quote from the Ministry of Agriculture to Report TV: “The approval of cadastral zones for the cultivation of the cannabis plant does not mean that the entire area of these zones will be planted with cannabis. Only natural or legal persons who meet the legal criteria defined in law no. 61/2023 and the respective subordinate acts will have the right to apply for a license and cultivate cannabis for industrial purposes. Therefore, not every area within the approved zone will be used for cultivation, but only those plots that meet the standards and for which permission has been given by the relevant authorities.”
So Berisha told internationals that the Albanian government had issued 138 licenses for cannabis covering over 29,000 hectares, fully aware that he was misleading. Berisha’s 138 licenses are simply cadastral zones, and above all, they are not related at all to medical cannabis, but only to industrial cannabis. But what is industrial cannabis?
Industrial cannabis, more commonly known as industrial hemp or simply hemp, refers to specific varieties of Cannabis sativa cultivated exclusively for industrial and commercial purposes. Unlike marijuana, which contains high levels of THC, industrial hemp contains only negligible amounts of THC, legally defined as 0.8% or less. This makes hemp a non-psychoactive plant with a wide range of practical uses and benefits.
Industrial cannabis or hemp is used in many production fields, mainly in textiles for making bags, ropes, or paper. It is used for building materials, animal feed, cosmetics, and more. So, zero relation to cannabis as a psychoactive substance.
Regarding the cultivation of medical cannabis, which Berisha ‘intentionally confuses,’ the law approved in July 2023 sets very strict cultivation criteria. According to points 8 and 9 of article 14 of the law, a maximum area of 200 hectares is clearly foreseen nationwide, and each license can be granted for an area no larger than 20 hectares.
Companies that receive a license have very strict criteria to fulfill. They must have 3 years of experience in at least 3 of the main activities such as: production, cultivation, and circulation of the cannabis plant for medical purposes; have production activity of cannabis plant by-products in one of the OECD countries for at least 5 years; hold good manufacturing practices issued by the European Medicines Agency or the American Food and Drug Administration for at least 3 years. The license is issued only in the name of the entity and is non-transferable and irrevocable. If part of the activity is transferred to another entity, that entity will be subject to background checks. The transfer of activity must be clearly defined earlier in the license.
The cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes will be carried out under strict measures, away from protected areas, tourist, and military zones, with strong criteria for environment, supervision, and transportation.
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