Prince Charles Assessed Highly Bulgaria's Role in European Drug Combat Novinite.com - 2003/3/14
HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, assessed highly the work of the units for drugs combat in the Bulgarian customs and the National Service for Organized Crime Combat.
Prince Charles delivered a lecture at the conference "Public-private partnership in counteracting drug abuse", organized by the non-government Center for Studies of Democracy in Sofia. The conference marked the beginning of the second day of the visit of Prince Charles in Bulgaria, which is at the invitation of President Parvanov.
Prince Charles underlined the commitment of these units and their efforts to stop drug channels thorough Europe.
The Prince of Wales underlined that drugs are enemy, which knows no classes and nations. He pointed out the rising unemployment and economic slowdown in UK districts where drug abuse is rampant.
He recommended that investments be poured in rehabilitation of drugs victims, rather that in police combat.
The Prince of Wales expressed gratitude to the Bulgarian government for assigning priority to drugs combat in its policy.
President Parvanov's wife Zorka Parvanova and Deputy Interior Minister Boyko Kotsev delivered speeches at the conference, that was opened by the chief of the Center for Studies of Democracy Ognyan Shentov.
The visit of Prince Charles continues with a visit to the Black Sea port of Varna.