In Wednesday’s interview with Alsat M’s “Ekonomski magazin” show, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev spoke on the topic of legalization and decriminalization of cannabis.

Zaev stressed that in the countries where cannabis is legalized, the economic potential for the development of all services is felt and many users give up heroin, cocaine, all other hard drugs.

In such circumstances, I open the debate, believing that the younger, more avant-garde forces in the country will dominate. It is logical for me that the elderly should be more reserved, more careful. But the ultimate goal is achieving excellent economic growth and development. It creates new jobs, brings foreign exchange inflow into the country, helps a lot in the fight against the use of other narcotics, said Zaev who underlined that in the coming period this debate will be public and that the country should use this serious economic potential.

He underlined that the Law on Narcotics stipulates that 20 percent, instead of ten, of the profit tax, go to children with rare diseases, to support the healthcare system, to support sports, culture, the civil sector and medical needs.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the public debate will be open on the issue of legalization of medical cannabis, by opening coffee shops, first in a certain part of the country, such as in tourist centers as Ohrid, Struga, Resen, Dojran, Mavrovo, Berovo, and Skopje as a major tourist center.