Albania, Greece at odds over medical plants

The article quotes Greek authorities as saying that the <x0-pounders of poor Albanians are constantly crossing the border to harvest medical plants illegally in the mountain, mainly mountain tea. The burglars then sell their plants for export to pharmaceutical or cosmetic companies; a business that reassures the country tens of millions per year”. And in this process, concern is that rare, endangered plants are also being destroyed.

Greece's “is prohibited by law from getting more than a small amount for personal use of wild plants. But this ban does not exist in Albania, which is one of Europe's poorest states. More important, though, plants are usually uprooted, preventing natural regeneration, threatening ecosystem, and leaving mountains dim. Albanians claim that plants are there and Greeks don't take them, so why not take advantage of somebody?” The following article.

The article quoted Greek environmentalist Christos Toskos as saying that over the past five years this problem has deepened and border crossings for this purpose have become daily.

In recent months, in operations realised for this purpose, Greek police have arrested at least 10 Albanians who had taken tens of kilograms of plants. At the end of June, three persons were caught with 135 pounds [166 kg] loaded on two horses and a donkey, the article follows.

The journalist has also interviewed Philip Gjokna, the head of the fragrant and medical plant association, which states that many poor Albanians are crossing mountains in Greece because this year there has been a shortage of scented herbs because of last winter temperatures.

In the end, the article shows the need to solve this problem between the two countries' authorities. /scan/