The intervention of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Cătălin Predoiu, within the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND)
Dear Mr. President,
Dear Co-Presidents,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Romania here today and to participate in this important process of assessing the 11 challenges related to the world drug problem identified in the 2019 Ministerial Declaration.
First of all, I want to reaffirm our commitment to the three international drug control conventions and to speeding up the implementation of all existing international drug policy commitments, especially the 2016 UNGASS Outcome Document. We appreciate all efforts to reach to a consensus regarding the interim revision of the final document.
I also wish to reaffirm our full support and cooperation with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and other UN bodies, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and express my appreciation for the activities and the initiatives they have undertaken in recent years to promote international cooperation. Improving cooperation through data sharing and joint operational activities, both bilaterally and regionally, is key to ensuring success in combating and preventing the drug phenomenon.
Romania fully aligns with the EU statement presented earlier and I would like to add a few remarks from our national perspective.
Your Excellencies,
Dear Delegates,
The drug situation in the world has worsened in recent years, and since 2019 we have encountered new challenges, previously unforeseen. The recent pandemic, natural disasters, conflicts in our region and elsewhere have led to new dynamics in the drug phenomenon, such as the darknet drug trade, the use of the Internet for illegal drug activities, new developments in synthetic drugs and psychoactive substances (NPS).
The diversification of unscheduled chemicals and the proliferation and trafficking of artisanal precursors fuel the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs globally. Controlling drug precursors is also challenging at an unprecedented level.
We need to implement a proactive approach and anticipate new substances that could easily be used in the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs. Thus, we must improve our forensic capacity and focus our regulatory efforts on generic control of the most dangerous, prevalent and persistent substances while ensuring access for medical/research purposes. International cooperation remains the most effective measure as it achieves global action in all jurisdictions and we therefore support the addition of new substances to EU drug legislation as recently adopted in the JHA Council on 4-5 March 2024.
Romania was one of the first countries to join the 2018 Global Appeal launched by the USA and now we are part of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats which will help accelerate efforts against illicit synthetic drugs.
Romania has also implemented an advanced early warning system for drugs and has a substantial contribution to the European Union’s Early Warning System for New Psychoactive Substances (EWS) and the UN Early Warning Council – which it must we expand We also actively contribute our expertise to improve data collection and processing tools used in the drug field.
In addition to reducing supply, we need a strong commitment to prevention. We place a strong emphasis on intensive multidisciplinary prevention efforts, with a particular focus on the protection of children and young people and other vulnerable members of our society.
In order to combat the spread of this scourge in schools, in accordance with the National Framework Action Plan for school safety, approved by all 7 responsible ministries of the Romanian Government, Action Groups are established at the level of each pre-university education unit, composed of a representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, parents’ associations, students and a representative of the respective school.
In October 2023, the Decision of the Supreme Council of National Defense on the use of drugs/other narcotic substances by young people/students – a major risk to individual and national security, was adopted. This decision brings together all relevant government authorities (including Ministries of Education and Health), who under the coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, work together to improve inter-agency cooperation mechanisms to address drug use among youth/students.
Dear participants,
Romania calls for closer and integrated cooperation at the national, European and international level to accelerate the implementation of anti-drug policies and to fight against all criminal phenomena associated with drugs. We also call on Member States to review their policies and responses by collecting robust scientific data on their effectiveness and efficiency in addressing and combating the global drug problem.
To conclude, I would like to emphasize that Romania remains committed to the application of national policies of proportional sentencing for drug-related crimes. We encourage all UN countries to adopt drug policies that respect the rule of law, proportionality principle and human rights.
Thank you!
