Hemp bust in Kosovo

[boulder]

Police from the United Nations Mission in Kosovo recently detained and questioned the prioress of a Serbian Orthodox Church monastery, for suspicion of growing marijuana.

 

In early August, UN police officers noticed pot-like plants in a field where they had been landing their helicopters. Since the field belongs to the monastery, UN police took the monastery's 70-year-old prioress Mother Efrosinia to police headquarters, for several hours of questioning.

 

The plants in question were indeed cannabis, but hemp, not marijuana. Father Sava Janjic, speaking for the Serbian Orthodox Church in Kosovo, explained that cannabis hemp grows wild in Serbia. "Hemp is a plant here in Kosovo that poor people once raised in order to make clothes," Father Janjic told the media. "So it still can be found in many Serb gardens today."

 

UN police initially refused to apologize, despite requests from the Church and monastery, but after two weeks indicated that they might offer a formal apology.

 

 

- United Nations Interm Administration Mission in Kosovo homepage: www.unmikonline.org