Haxhiu calls for protecting young people from drugs and the state from organized crime

Acting President of the Republic of Kosovo, Albulena Haxhiu, took part today in the roundtable “International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.”

During her address, Acting President Haxhiu stressed that drug abuse and drug trafficking constitute some of the most serious threats to young people and to social security in the country.

“We must speak openly about drugs and their consequences, without prejudice and without hiding the danger. We must talk in schools, with parents, with teachers and with young people themselves, before the problem appears in the family as a crisis,” Acting President Haxhiu said.

She underlined that schools deserve special attention, especially after continued reports of the presence or sale of narcotic substances near them.

According to her, bringing this danger close to schoolyards turns prevention into an immediate obligation for the family, the school, institutions and the entire community. Acting President Haxhiu said this process begins with proper information, with psychologists and educators, with trained teachers, with engaged parents and with language that young people understand. She warned that if young people learn about drugs only from the street, social networks or from those who profit from them, then institutions will not be able to have sufficient influence.

Acting President Haxhiu also said that this issue requires broad social mobilization and clear responsibilities from every institution.

“That is why it is important that today at this roundtable, those who know the problem firsthand are together: public institutions, health professionals, the Kosovo Police and organizations such as Labyrinth, which for years has worked with people who have developed addiction and with their families, often serving as the first place where help is sought. On this occasion, I want to thank you for the great and long-standing work in this field,” Acting President Haxhiu stressed.

Speaking about addiction, she said that a person addicted to narcotic substances should not be seen as a criminal or trafficker, but as a person who needs treatment, support and rehabilitation in society.

“The criminal is the one who exploits their weakness, who supplies them, who pushes them deeper into addiction and who profits,” Acting President Haxhiu said.

She stressed that there should be an uncompromising approach toward traffickers, while people who need help should be shown the greatest care.

“The strength of a society is seen in its ability to prevent young people from being drawn into this vortex, to treat those who need help and to restore them to life with dignity,” Acting President Haxhiu said.

In conclusion, Acting President Haxhiu recalled that Kosovo already has the State Strategy Against Drugs 2024–2028 and that several actions have been undertaken, along with the establishment of important mechanisms. Nevertheless, according to her, this issue cannot be solved with a single document, but requires uninterrupted work in prevention, treatment and law enforcement. “This day is a call for more responsibility, more coordination and more action. Let us not wait for addiction to knock on the doors of our families before we react. Let us protect every young person from the trap of drugs, protect society from trafficking and protect the state from organized crime. Every life saved from addiction is a victory for the family, society and our state,” Acting President Haxhiu stressed.