UNODC World Drug Report 2022 highlights trends on cannabis post-legalization, environmental impacts of illicit drugs, and drug use among women and youth

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27 June 2022

wddgeneric 1200x800 jpg UNODC World Drug Report 2022 highlights trends on cannabis post-legalization, environmental impacts of illicit drugs, and drug use among women and youth

Vienna (Austria), 27 June 2022 – Cannabis legalization in parts of the world appears to have accelerated daily use and related health impacts, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s World Drug Report 2022. Released today, the report also details record rises in the manufacturing of cocaine, the expansion of synthetic drugs to new markets, and continued gaps in the availability of drug treatments, especially for women.  

According to the report, around 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade. Young people are using more drugs, with use levels today in many countries higher than with the previous generation. In Africa and Latin America, people under 35 represent the majority of people being treated for drug use disorders.

Globally, the report estimates that 11.2 million people worldwide were injecting drugs. Around half of this number were living with hepatitis C, 1.4 million were living with HIV, and 1.2 million were living with both.

Reacting to these findings, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly stated: “Numbers for the manufacturing and seizures of many illicit drugs are hitting record highs, even as global emergencies are deepening vulnerabilities. At the same time, misperceptions regarding the magnitude of the problem and the associated harms are depriving people of care and treatment and driving young people towards harmful behaviours. We need to devote the necessary resources and attention to addressing every aspect of the world drug problem, including the provision of evidence-based care to all who need it, and we need to improve the knowledge base on how illicit drugs relate to other urgent challenges, such as conflicts and environmental degradation.”

The report further emphasizes the importance of galvanizing the international community, governments, civil society and all stakeholders to take urgent action to protect people, including by strengthening drug use prevention and treatment and by tackling illicit drug supply.

Early indications and effects of cannabis legalization

Cannabis legalization in North America appears to have increased daily cannabis use, especially potent cannabis products and particularly among young adults. Associated increases in people with psychiatric disorders, suicides and hospitalizations have also been reported. Legalization has also increased tax revenues and generally reduced arrest rates for cannabis possession.

Continued growth in drug production and trafficking

Cocaine manufacture was at a record high in 2020, growing 11 per cent from 2019 to 1,982 tons. Cocaine seizures also increased, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, to a record 1,424 tons in 2020. Nearly 90 per cent of cocaine seized globally in 2021 was trafficked in containers and/or by sea. Seizure data suggest that cocaine trafficking is expanding to other regions outside the main markets of North America and Europe, with increased levels of trafficking to Africa and Asia.

Trafficking of methamphetamine continues to expand geographically, with 117 countries reporting seizures of methamphetamine in 2016‒2020 versus 84 in 2006‒2010. Meanwhile, the quantities of methamphetamine seized grew five-fold between 2010 and 2020.

Opium production worldwide grew seven per cent between 2020 and 2021 to 7,930 tons – predominantly due to an increase in production in Afghanistan. However, the global area under opium poppy cultivation fell by 16 per cent to 246,800 ha in the same period.

Key drug trends broken down by region

In many countries in Africa and South and Central America, the largest proportion of people in treatment for drug use disorders are there primarily for cannabis use disorders. In Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and in Central Asia, people are most often in treatment for opioid use disorders.

In the United States and Canada, overdose deaths, predominantly driven by an epidemic of the non-medical use of fentanyl, continue to break records. Preliminary estimates in the United States point to more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021, up from nearly 92,000 in 2020.

In the two largest markets for methamphetamine, seizures have been increasing – they rose by seven per cent in North America from the previous year, while in South-East Asia they increased by 30 per cent from the previous year, record highs in both regions. A record high was also reported for methamphetamine seizures reported from South-West Asia, increasing by 50 per cent in 2020 from 2019.

Great inequality remains in the availability of pharmaceutical opioids for medical consumption. In 2020, there were 7,500 more doses per 1 million inhabitants of controlled pain medication in North America than in West and Central Africa.

Conflict zones as magnets for synthetic drug production

This year’s report also highlights that illicit drug economies can flourish in situations of conflict and where the rule of law is weak, and in turn can prolong or fuel conflict.

Information from the Middle East and South-East Asia suggest that conflict situations can act as a magnet for the manufacture of synthetic drugs, which can be produced anywhere. This effect may be greater when the conflict area is close to large consumer markets.

Historically, parties to conflict have used drugs to finance conflict and generate income. The 2022 World Drug Report also reveals that conflicts may also disrupt and shift drug trafficking routes, as has happened in the Balkans and more recently in Ukraine.

A possible growing capacity to manufacture amphetamine in Ukraine if the conflict persists

There was a significant increase in the number of reported clandestine laboratories in Ukraine, skyrocketing from 17 dismantled laboratories in 2019 to 79 in 2020. 67 out of these laboratories were producing amphetamines, up from five in 2019 – the highest number of dismantled laboratories reported in any given country in 2020.

The environmental impacts of drug markets

Illicit drug markets, according to the 2022 World Drug Report, can have local, community or individual-level impacts on the environment. Key findings include that the carbon footprint of indoor cannabis is between 16 and 100 times more than outdoor cannabis on average and that the footprint of 1 kilogram of cocaine is 30 times greater than that of cocoa beans.

Other environmental impacts include substantial deforestation associated with illicit coca cultivation, waste generated during synthetic drug manufacture that can be 5-30 times the volume of the end product, and the dumping of waste which can affecting soil, water and air directly, as well as organisms, animals and the food chain indirectly.

Ongoing gender treatment gap and disparities in drug use and treatment

Women remain in the minority of drug users globally yet tend to increase their rate of drug consumption and progress to drug use disorders more rapidly than men do. Women now represent an estimated 45-49 per cent of users of amphetamines and non-medical users of pharmaceutical stimulants, pharmaceutical opioids, sedatives, and tranquilizers.

The treatment gap remains large for women globally. Although women represent almost one in two amphetamines users, they constitute only one in five people in treatment for amphetamine use disorders.

The World Drug Report 2022 also spotlights the wide range of roles fulfilled by women in the global cocaine economy, including cultivating coca, transporting small quantities of drugs, selling to consumers, and smuggling into prisons.

Further information

The 2022 World Drug Report provides a global overview of the supply and demand of opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances (NPS), as well as their impact on health.

Statement by President Michel at the G7 summit side event on Partnership for global infrastructure and investment

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Council of the EU and European Council

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26 June 2022

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Statement by President Michel at the G7 summit side event on Partnership for global infrastructure and investment

The EU fully supports the G7 Partnership on Global Infrastructure and Investment. The reason for this is simple. We have always been a leader in cooperating with developing countries. 46% of global development aid comes from the European Union. And every year, almost 70 billion euros go towards funding more peace, more prosperity, and more development.

The G7 is committed to values, standards, transparency, principles, and so, too, is the EU. We focus on smart, clean and secure investments in sustainable infrastructure as well as in digital infrastructure, climate, energy and transport. We also invest in the power and potential of people, in their education and health as well as in cutting-edge research.

The EU is a project of peace and prosperity. It is anchored in the rule of law and multilateralism. We rally our partners around high standards in human, social, and workers’ rights.

Our G7 Partnership wants to drive forward infrastructure that is sustainable, inclusive, resilient and high quality, in emerging markets and in developing countries. One example of this is the EU’s investment in vaccines and medicine production, in particular in African countries. Multilateral development banks (MDBs) will play a catalyst role in mobilising private capital along with our public support.

The European Union is promoting its Global Gateway initiative, too. At our EU-Africa Summit, last February, we announced an Africa-Europe Investment Package of 150 billion euros. We are investing in many projects, in Africa and with Africa. The submarine EurAfrica Gateway Cable and the local pharmaceuticals cooperation are two good examples of this. In addition, in the Indo-Pacific region, we are very engaged in the field of sustainable connectivity in transport, energy and technology.

In conclusion, we need values and standards. That is why we are fully on board. I am convinced that the G7, and the EU, are taking the right direction for a more stable and forward-looking partnership.

Thank you.

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Jehovah’s Witnesses and Sexual Abuse: The Court of Brussels Finds the CIAOSN Report Ill-Founded

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Massimo Introvigne

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26 June 2022

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The governmental “cult watchdog” CIAOSN published a text that was methodologically faulty and included false statements, the judge said.

*The Palais de Justice of Brussels, the seat of the Justice Court of Brussels. Credits.*

The Jehovah’s Witnesses have obtained another legal victory in Belgium on June 16, 2022, this time against the governmental “cult watchdog” called CIAOSN (Centre d’information et d’avis sur les organisations sectaires nuisibles, Centre for Information and Advice on Harmful Cultic Organizations), an independent center established by the Belgian law of June 2, 1998, amended with the law of April 12, 2004, at the Belgian Ministry of Justice.

On November 30, 2018, CIAOSN produced the report “Signalement sur le traitement des abus sexuels sur mineurs au sein de l’organisation des témoins de Jéhovah” (Report on the Treatment of the Sexual Abuse of Minors Within the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses). The report was shared with the House of Representatives and the Minister of Justice. In the following months, news about the report were published by several Belgian media, claiming that a CIAOSN official document had indicated that the Jehovah’s Witnesses were hiding cases of sexual abuses of minors happening within their congregations, and a public investigation was needed. In fact, in February 2019, a parliamentary Working Group investigating the issue was created. On April 5, 2019, the Working Group issued an interim report, which recommended that the “study of the CIAOSN report” will be continued by the Parliament.

At the same time, also based on the CIAOSN report, a criminal case was started. As reported by Bitter Winter last year, on October 5, 2021, after an investigation and a search at the national Belgian headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Tribunal of First Instance of Brussels dismissed the accusations against the Belgian organization of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and individual members of the organization, who had been accused of not reporting to the police allegations of child sexual abuse in their congregations they had become aware of, thus violating Articles 422 bis and 442 quarter of the Criminal Code of Belgium, which make reporting mandatory.

In 2019, the Jehovah’s Witnesses sued the author of a particular vicious article published in the Belgian newspaper Le Soir and the publisher of the newspaper. On November 16, 2020, the Court of Brussels found against the Jehovah’s Witnesses, arguing that the newspaper had based its article on a report by CIAOSN, a reliable governmental agency. The Jehovah’s Witnesses then proceeded to sue the Belgian state, which is responsible for the activities of CIAOSN, on June 17, 2021.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses noted that the CIAOSN report was based on a faulty methodology, which led to unsupported conclusions and to false and slanderous information spread to the media.

CIAOSN stated in the document that, “In June 2018, CIAOSN received a notification according to which three of the 286 testimonies received by the Foundation ‘Reclaimed Voices’ in the Netherlands concern facts which have allegedly taken place in Belgium.” It would seem that this was one of the elements that caused the production of the CIAOSN report.

However, on March 9, 2021, the Brussels-based NGO Human Rights Without Frontiers reported that, “A Dutch-speaking member of the board of Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) contacted Reclaimed Voices in The Netherlands to check the credibility of this information and get more details about the three alleged cases of sexual abuse in Belgium. In his answer, the head of Reclaimed Voices in the Netherlands denied such a news made public in Belgium, saying in a private correspondence dated 10 February 2021: ‘The information in the report of the CIAOSN is not correct. On 29 March 2019, we sent an email to CIAOSN about this inaccuracy. At that time, it came to our attention that Koen Geens, Minister of Justice (CD&V), had said on Radio 1 in Belgium: ‘It is the CIAOSN itself which has gone to the Netherlands to find this information and has stated that among the 286 Dutch complaints there were three Belgian ones.’ Something similar was said on television at ‘Van Gils & Guests.’ In the Dutch media, we have only testified about the situation in the Netherlands. The figures that were mentioned are only alleged victims of abuse in the Netherlands.”

How the data for the Netherlands were collected and compiled is highly questionable as well, but as far as Belgium is concerned the fact of the matter is that the three Belgian cases in the Reclaimed Voices list never existed. In the Brussels case, the Belgian government recognized this fact, but claimed that this did not invalidate the report as a whole.

Apart from the incorrect reference to three Belgian cases “found” in the Netherlands, CIAOSN mentioned that it had received other “direct or indirect” complaints, but most of its report did not deal with Belgium, there were no specific cases quoted, and most of the “information” offered came from press clippings.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also relied on an expert report criticizing the CIAOSN text prepared by the undersigned (Massimo Introvigne) and by American scholars Holly Folk and J. Gordon Melton.

In its decision of June 16, 2022, the Court of Brussels sums up the main point of our criticism as follows: “lack of discussion of the methodology; a selective use of a few reliable academic sources; a subjective appreciation of certain beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses as peculiar or bizarre, when these beliefs are shared by many Christian denominations; the predominance of newspaper clippings as sources of information, and the omissions and errors that such sources have caused; a lack of contact with the national office of the Jehovah’s Witnesses; the lack of verification of the truth of the allegations; the lack of evidence of an alleged connection between sexual abuse and disfellowshipping of those who report it; the reliance on the controversial Australian Parliamentary Commission’s [Royal Commission] report, whose figures are based largely on unconfirmed allegations of abuse within the family and outside of any institutional context; the reliance on CIAOSN’s biased theory that their dualistic worldview makes Jehovah’s Witnesses an ‘at-risk’ organization, whereas this worldview is shared by most religious communities.”

The decision reports our conclusions as follows: “Jehovah’s Witnesses are singled out because the anticult ideology stigmatizes them as the quintessential ‘cult,’ and creates a climate where “cults’ cannot hope to be treated fairly. The CIAOSN Report is methodologically problematic, and relies largely on press clippings and information supplied by anti-cultists, some of them connected with FECRIS, an organization an official American commission has denounced for systematically spreading false information about groups it labels as ‘cults,’ particularly the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The claim that there is a vast number of cases of unreported sexual abuse among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Belgium is not substantiated by the report’s own content. Unfortunately, CIAOSN’s Report cannot be regarded as an objective, unbiased report. The fact that no representatives of the Jehovah’s Witnesses were interviewed during the preparation of the report, that Reclaimed Voices cases were accepted at face value without an effort to investigate whether they really happened and were correctly reported, that press clippings, as well as information from anti-cult organizations, were largely and uncritically used, are all elements pointing to a bias. We recommend that no governmental or other action be taken based on this document [the CIAOSN report].”

*From left to right: Massimo Introvigne, J. Gordon Melton, and Holly Folk.*

The judge noted that all what the Belgian government and CIAOSN had to oppose to the experts’ critical analysis was that “the disputed report ‘is based on cross-checked and reliable sources, cited in the footnotes.’” The judge was not persuaded, and concluded that “the simple allegation by the Belgian state that the report is the result of meticulous research work by the CIAOSN does not allow to deny the critical analysis prepared by the experts.” Indeed, the judge found that press clippings and biased accounts, including the controversial Australian report, were the only sources of the CIAOSN report. A governmental “research center that claims to be objective and impartial cannot reasonably base most of its assessment on press clippings or television reports, the judge said. Such a posture defended by the Belgian state ignores the principles of the scientific method and reverses the roles. A serious scientific discourse cannot find its source in the media.”

In conclusion, the Court of Brussels, in addition to ordering the Belgian state to pay the legal expenses of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, found “that the CIAOSN committed misconduct in drafting and disseminating in December 2018 the report entitled ‘Report on the Treatment of the Sexual Abuse of Minors Within the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses’.” The court ordered “the State to publish, at its own expense, the present judgment on the homepage of the CIAOSN website, for a period of six months from the expiration of a period of eight days from the date of service of the present judgment;” and “to publish a mention of the present judgment with a reference to its full text in the ‘news’ section of the CIAOSN website.”

The judgement will surely become a key precedent. It states that scholars of religion are a more reliable source on these matters than journalists and anti-cultists, and that governmental agencies dealing with the alleged “danger of the cults” are not above the law and can be legally prosecuted when they spread false information and slander.

First published at BITTERWINTER.

UK MP Fiona Bruce: importance of the international Freedom of Religion or Belief conference in London

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Newsdesk

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25 June 2022

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Fiona Bruce MP outlines plans for the UK-hosted 2-day ministerial conference and explains the role of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Greetings from the UK Parliament. I’m delighted to be speaking to you as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief. And I’m equally delighted to be able to talk to you about an international ministerial conference which the UK is hosting on 5 and 6 July this year. It’s a conference about freedom of religion or belief or ‘FoRB’ for short.

Why is this conference so important? Well, it’s important because all around the world today, even in the 21st century, millions of people are being deprived an education or a job or a home or access to justice or liberty, even to life itself, simply on account of what they believe. And so we’re hosting this conference here in the UK so that we can bring together people from around the world to look at how we can address this situation.

We’re inviting government ministers. We’re inviting faith leaders and representatives. We’re inviting civil society activists from around 50 countries from across the globe to come together and not only to discuss the issue of freedom of religion or belief, but also to look at how we can agree some practical solutions to address it.

And I’m pleased to say, too, that we’ve not just got an official government-organised conference with about 500 delegates and will be based in the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in the QEII in Parliament Square, but we’re also involving civil society grassroots organisations, charities and NGOs concerned about freedom of religion or belief, and they’ll be given their own space in the conference centre where they’ll be able to host exhibitions and hold their own meetings and sessions.

And so what will the conference involve? Well, we’ve got sessions across the 2 days looking at, for example, freedom of religion and belief and education. How can we introduce it into education syllabi? So that young people can begin to understand what freedom of religion or belief is and how important it is? We’ve seen how, for example, they’ve got hold of the importance of climate change and addressing that. Can we do that in the same way for freedom of religion or belief to help the millions of people around the world who are suffering. Can we see young ambassadors develop so that young people will use social media to champion freedom of religion or belief?

And then we’ll have another session on looking at women and girls and how they have a double jeopardy. Often they they are abused because they are women and girls, but also on account of what their beliefs are, and they’re vulnerable. How can we better help them in countries where this is happening?

And then we’re going to look at early warning signs. There are early warning signs that happen often when that’s the beginning of tension in communities because of differences in views and beliefs, which can then lead to friction, violence, even at worst case. Well, how can countries how can communities start to recognise these early warning signs and address them? And of course, we’re bringing people here from across the world because we recognise that no one country, not least the UK, has all the answers.

Only by working together, by collaborating will we be able to begin to start to solve this this growing issue. We’re looking at not just governments working together either, but governments working with civil society with organisations going forward, taking forward some really practical suggestions, which we hope will be brought out during those 2 days, and which we can then build on over the months, weeks, years to come.

And in addition to the official 2-day conference there’s a lot else going on here in the UK around 5 and 6 July, so that anyone who’s not invited to the conference will still be able to join in. We’ve got dozens and dozens of events focusing on freedom of religion or belief organised by charities, by non-government organisations (NGOs), by civil society activists, not just in London, but around the country.

And to the ministerial conference itself will be livestreamed so that anyone from anywhere in the world will be able to join in and watch and will actually be able to interact, because that will be an opportunity not just for delegates in the conference centre to interact with the sessions and make their contributions and their suggestions known, but also for people to comment virtually from right around the world.

So do join us on 5 and 6 July here in London, the lots of information on the website and by a lot more information coming on over the next few days. And I’m particularly delighted that the UK is hosting this conference this year in 2022 because this year to the UK is the Chair of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

What is that Alliance, you may ask? Well, it’s an alliance of countries committed to promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief and to preventing its abuses, to working together to do so. It was founded not long ago, in February 2020 with just a handful of countries. It’s now grown to 36 countries and more are coming on board.

And I’m pleased that the ministerial is proving a springboard for more interest in the Alliance day by day. And so we hope to see the Alliance grow so that they’ll really will be a strong collective global voice of countries who together can have more impact than our individual voices alone.

So I’m looking forward to greeting many of my Alliance contacts from around the world who up to date because of the pandemic I’ve only ever met virtually. This will be an exciting conference. It’s exciting for everyone and there’ll be something for everyone. Please do join us on 5 and 6 of July here in London.”

Lay US Catholics to ‘redouble efforts to help moms’ after Roe overturned

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Vatican News

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25 June 2022

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Lay US Catholics to ‘redouble efforts to help moms’ after Roe overturned - Vatican News

By Devin Watkins

Roe overturned // “Catholic charities and Catholic healthcare services are going to compete with the abortion industry with good web-based care, and we are going to redouble our efforts as laypeople working with the Church to offer more paths to pregnancy help.”

Peggy Hartshorn, the Chairman of the Board of Heartbeat International, offered that assessment on the path forward for the pro-life movement in the United States, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson.

The Court decided 5-4 on Friday to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, stating that abortion is not a constitutional right and giving states the power to legislate on the issue.

Love and support for expectant mothers

In response, the Bishops of the United States praised the Court’s decision and said the Church must “serve those who face difficult pregnancies and surround them with love.”

Heartbeat International, which Dr. Hartshorn chairs, and other Church-run programs already turn that commitment into concrete care, in the form of crisis pregnancy centers. The interdenominational Christian association supports a network of over 3,000 centers in 65 countries, with around 1,700 centers in the US.

Speaking to Vatican News, Dr. Hartshorn highlighted the witness her organization offers, which she said is one of “love, care, and support for pregnant moms and their babies and their families that are struggling.”

That caring approach, she added, can help people resolve their internal conflicts regarding abortion, besides helping pregnant women carry their baby to term.

“Once they understand that abortion is not their only alternative, they are so relieved many times that they don’t feel they have to choose an abortion.”

Listen to the full interview

Overcoming coercion to have an abortion

Dr. Hartshorn says studies have shown that “the vast number of women feel some kind of coercion or pressure to make an abortion decision.”

“They may say they think abortion is what they need,” she said, “but when you get right down to the deep-down feelings, women will say they don’t want to have an abortion.”

The pregnancy help movement can offer women assistance in these situations, according to Dr. Hartshorn.

A crisis pregnancy center helps connect women to “a faith-based network”, which includes Catholic healthcare and social services.

“The body of Christ has risen up to really provide the help and support women really, truly want. And they are choosing life in bigger and bigger numbers.”

Public opinion and laws

Laws have a significant influence on people’s opinion on issues, says Dr. Hartshorn.

She has been involved in the pro-life movement since 1973, and saw how “as soon as the Supreme Court decision [in Roe v. Wade] came down and abortion was declared legal in all 50 states, the public attitude dramatically shifted”.

Prior to the Roe ruling, a majority of Americans thought that “abortion was a bad thing.” But afterwards, public opinion shifted in favor of access to abortion.

Walking with moms in need

Catholic dioceses across the US also offer another service to women and families with an initiative called “Walking with Moms in Need.”

Julie Dumalet, J.D., Director of Pro-Life Activities for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Texas, said the initiative offers Catholic laypeople the chance to “walk in the shoes” of local expectant mothers and mothers who are in need of financial assistance.

She told Vatican News that “Walking with Moms in Need” seeks to assist parents with older children, including toddlers, school-age children, and teenagers.

“What we are blessed to be able to do,” said Dr. Dumalet, “is expand on what we have done with our pregnancy help to make a culture of the whole life and to embrace parents at all levels of need.”

Listen to the full interview

Banned for transportation: what goods can no longer be sent from Russia to Kaliningrad by rail due to EU sanctions

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Newsdesk

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25 June 2022

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Since June 18, Lithuania has stopped allowing freight trains with a number of goods in transit to and from the Kaliningrad region. What was banned due to sanctions, reports a material of “Klops”.

Goods prohibited forimport, import are defined by the latest version of EU Council Regulation No. 833/2014 (on sanctions against Russia due to events in Ukraine). The ban also applies to transportation by road. The restrictions included products made from iron, steel, alcohol, timber, glass containers, caviar, non-ferrous metals, fertilizers, and cement. The list includes petroleum products (gasoline and diesel), but automotive fuel can be transported until February 5, 2023.

Governor Anton Alikhanov estimated the restriction of cargo turnover at 40-50% of all cargo transiting through Lithuania by rail.

How is the Kaliningrad business doing with the import of cosmetics, building materials, alcohol and other goods

On Tuesday, June 21, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Kaliningrad Region posted an expanded list of goods prohibited for transit through Lithuania. The list included, including cosmetics, alcohol, flowers and even red caviar. “Klops” talked to local entrepreneurs and found out how things were going.

Flowers and fertilizers

The closure of transit through Lithuania at the moment has not affected the supply of flowers to our region, since flowers are purchased in Holland, and do not come to us from Russia. This was told by the leading florist in the delivery service “Romashka39” Nadezhda Polyakova.

“It is more difficult with fertilizers, they are all from big Russia, as long as there are reserves. We hope for the ferry and are waiting for the price increase, the cost of delivery to our region has already increased 3 times. So far, the most difficult thing is the EU ban on the transport of potted plants and herbs, which will come into force in early July. Workarounds not yet found, most likely there will be a shortage for some time. Therefore, if you have long wanted to buy a palm tree or a cute cactus, now is the time, ”Nadezhda explained.

As the flower growers say, the biggest difficulty in the sphere is the lack of clear delivery dates. Since April, “everything is in floating mode”, it is difficult to plan weddings and large orders. But, according to Nadezhda, there are also pleasant moments – mutual assistance has grown between representatives of the industry.

In matters of cost, the florist shares good news. She said that Holland had slightly reduced the price of flowers for Russia to help offset the increased shipping costs, which had quadrupled.

“Now the prices are at last year’s level, which pleases. This applies to cut flowers. Potted plants and fertilizers will rise in price unequivocally, it is not yet clear in what percentage terms and how we will bring them to Kaliningrad. This question remains open … ”, Nadezhda said.

Cosmetics, perfumery

There are also beauty products on the list, but they are in the “luxury” section. The cost per unit must be more than 300 euros. Yulia Semyonova, director of the Chic and Shine network, said that the ban does not apply to mass-market products, that is, to what the average consumer uses.

“We both transported and will continue to transport by road, we do not fall under this sanctions list, there will be no shortage of goods in our region. Many partners who booked a place on the ferry are told to go from there to the ground customs, because they need to carry sanctions, ”shared Yulia.

She said that if there are no problems with gasoline, then the cost of goods should not rise either. The rise in prices occurred a few months earlier, when the goods were held at customs for a long time, the trucks stood for 2-3 weeks and drivers had to pay for demurrage.

“We do not predict big increases, everything that was possible has already increased. One of the suppliers even said that he lowered prices, we will also lower them, ”the representative of the network assured.

Red caviar

Although the product was included in the sanctions list, the director of the Kamchatka company, Yevgeny Timofeev, said that this problem did not affect their area.

“There is and will be caviar in the store, our product is delivered to the region by aviation from Kamchatka directly, so there is no need to worry,” the entrepreneur assured.

Eugene is now in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. He said that sockeye salmon is the first to spawn, there are already caviar. It is impossible to send by ferry “perishable”, only by air and in compliance with the temperature regime. Delivery by plane through Moscow takes two days. The first caviar of this year was sent yesterday, today it will be brought to the region, and tomorrow it will be put on the counter.

“The price of caviar has not changed. Fresh sockeye salmon is sold in the region of 7500 and above, last year’s chum salmon is 6500-7000, and it was before, ”said Evgeny.

Suitcases

This product was also included in the sanctions list – it cannot be transported either by train or by trucks, now suitcases will go across the sea. The head of Chemodan39.ru, Anton Rodionov, said that part of the cargo has been sent by ferry since the beginning of the year – then there were queues at the borders. Instead of the usual 3-4 days, the goods had to wait for two weeks without any guarantees. The sea route definitely takes no more than two weeks.

“Now we will transport all goods by water. It will be 30 percent more expensive. The cost of suitcases brought by land and by sea was the same for the end consumer. At the expense of own funds had to compensate for the increased costs of transportation. From the 18th, when ground transport was no longer allowed, we began to systematically raise prices, ”says the head.

According to him, there are companies that still transport luxury goods through Lithuania. There is no confirmation of this information, in addition – officially this category of goods was included in the list of “prohibited”.

Alcohol

Representatives of companies involved in the transportation and sale of alcohol declined to comment on the situation. Many of them are waiting for July 10, when the EU must clarify the specific positions that will fall under the sanctions.

Petrol

It is too early to buy fuel — restrictions on the transportation of petroleum products should come into force no earlier than February 2023.

Cement

In Kaliningrad construction stores, they noticed an increased demand for cement and an influx of visitors. “Klops” talked with representatives of retail chains. The situation with building materials in stores was told in Baucenter, Trade House Stroitel and Leroy Merlin.

The head of the press service of the regional government, Dmitry Lyskov, said on Wednesday, June 22: “There is no shortage of cement in the Kaliningrad region.” The authorities advised not to panic and not create an artificially high demand for certain types of goods, in particular, for cement.

Due to Lithuania’s restriction of transit to the Kaliningrad region, not only the delivery time of goods, but also the price may increase. This was announced by the founder of the BMK group of companies, the general director of the Investment Metallurgical Union Oleg Chernov. He is quoted by Business FM Kaliningrad on Monday, June 20.

“In the future, the worst option is an increase in the price from 10 to 20%, depending on the transportation format: either it’s a ferry, or it’s a container. Delivery times will also increase – plus 2-3 months. So far, we predict this for ourselves, ”said the expert.

The representative of the press service of the Rastsvet Group of Companies, Olga Skovorodnikova, suggests that a shortage may arise:

“From the moment Lithuania announced the restriction of transit through its territory by the Russian Federation of a number of goods, mainly building materials, there may be some shortage of them on the market and, perhaps, prices for them in the region will rise again. But from experience, regulators from the authorities work, as well as measures to support the construction industry. We are confident that the situation will be resolved.”

Marketplaces

The press service of Ozon said that the delivery of orders to the Kaliningrad region is carried out as usual and mainly by sea.

“We introduced delivery by water about a month ago. The average delivery time for goods from other regions is about 7 days. In the Kaliningrad region, we have about 200 Ozon pickup points. Customers, as before, can order goods from the marketplace at the nearest point and pick them up at any convenient time. The cost of delivery has not changed,” commented the press service.

A general did not agree to call a new German tank the same way as the Wehrmacht

By

Gaston de Persigny

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25 June 2022

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This machine should be the answer to the best Russian tanks. In any case, its manufacturer, Rheinmetall, believes so. The tank is called the Panther and is considered the successor to the Leopard-2, which has already reached old age. Retired General Klaus Whitman: “Rheinmetall unexpectedly unveils new tank at French arms show Eurosatory. It should be the answer to Russia’s T-14 Armata tank. In 2015, the T-14 puzzled Western generals. Powerful 130mm cannon and reinforced Russia is silent about other details Comparisons: – The new German tank is 5 tons lighter than the Army, and its 130-millimeter cannon has greater range (50% more than the previous model cannon). – to be rearmed. – Both models are equipped with a loading machine – With the help of drones Panther can hit targets at long distances, while the Armata is able to launch guided missiles.

Computer targeting and KI (artificial intelligence) are also provided. But so far, Armata tanks exist only in the form of demonstration models. They have not yet been seen in the army. The Armata costs three times more than its T-90 predecessor. Because of the sanctions, Moscow has problems with the electronics needed for the Army. Therefore, for the time being, it will remain a propaganda tool rather than a combat weapon.

The second cheapest country after Turkey expects 6 million tourists, despite the absence of Russians

By

News desk

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25 June 2022

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Despite the lack of Russian tourist traffic, the second cheapest country after Turkey (according to a British report) expects to see 6 million tourists. We are talking about Bulgaria. A positive forecast was published by the Bulgarian media, citing Tourism Minister Hristo Prodanov.

In the summer season 2022, Bulgaria will receive from 5.5 to 6 million tourists. According to the official, they will come mainly from countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany, the UK, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Israel and others. tourists, because many Bulgarians like to spend their summer holidays on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. “We want to send a clear message that Bulgaria offers excellent holiday conditions and at the same time a safe destination – our Black Sea is a safe and peaceful area and we have a long tradition of quality and hospitality in tourism,” he said.

According to him, the promotion of all types of tourism is also an important task. He also added that in addition to traditional sea and winter tourism, it is important to use the potential of the country’s cultural tourism, spa tourism. In addition, focus on wine, gastronomic and medical tourism. Bulgaria is confident that tourists will go to them, as a recent report by British experts showed that this destination is the second after Turkey, which is the most accessible to vacationers in terms of cheapness.

The summer tourist season officially opened on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Black Sea resort with a festive procession along the embankment of the Golden Sands resort – the pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. An invitation has been sent to more than 30 officials from diplomatic missions accredited by the Bulgarian government to visit the resort and see what it has to offer. The invitation was sent out by the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodora Genchovska and the Minister of Tourism Hristo Prodanov. At the same time, officials and representatives of the diplomatic corps in Bulgaria are taking part in conferences dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the founding of the coastal resort.

The property of a Russian MP in Germany was confiscated

By

Gaston de Persigny

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25 June 2022

0

This is the first such case

The Munich prosecutor’s office has ordered the confiscation of property in Germany, which allegedly belongs to a member of the State Duma and his wife, due to EU sanctions. This is the first time such a case has taken place in Germany, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.

The MP’s name is on the EU’s February 23 sanctions list and he is a member of the Communist Party. It has not been announced. It is alleged that the Russian and his wife own three apartments in Munich, which until recently were rented out. According to the newspaper, after the imposition of sanctions by Brussels, the couple received a total of 10,000 euros from renting out the property.

The prosecution instituted proceedings on suspicion of violating paragraph 18 of the German Foreign Trade Act or, more simply, the sanctions regime. Such a crime is punishable by imprisonment from three months to five years.

Authorities confiscated the apartments instead of “freezing” them. It is alleged that this was due to the fact that the owner received rent, ie. has made a profit. The publication recalls that the property of Russians subject to sanctions in Europe is usually “frozen” and not confiscated if it does not involve generating income.

A special working group set up by the German government to enforce EU sanctions is currently checking all the information available to regional authorities about Russian property in Germany.

Russians in Germany are being prosecuted for exporting brands from the European Union

By

Newsdesk

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25 June 2022

0

Russian citizens arrested at German airports for exporting luxury goods

At German airports, expensive purchases are confiscated from citizens of the Russian Federation when they try to get a tax deduction for them (Tax free) and they initiate cases of an attempt to illegally import sanctioned goods into Russia. The Moscow Times writes about this (included in the list of blocked resources).

“At the Frankfurt airport, a Furla bag for 500 euros was confiscated from a Muscovite when she tried to stamp the purchase documents at a special point for tax free before departure in order to receive a tax deduction on her account,” the newspaper writes. According to the Russian woman, the officer making the deduction announced the withdrawal of the purchase and the initiation of a case on an attempt to illegally import luxury goods into the Russian Federation.

Experts spoke about several more cases of luxury brands being seized from Russians. So, two similar incidents occurred in Frankfurt and Berlin airport. “We advise Russian clients not to try to get a VAT refund under any circumstances, at the risk of losing not only the purchase, but also the right to enter the EU,” the consultant recommended.

The EU countries, as well as the United States, Canada, Japan and a number of other states have imposed sanctions against Russia because of the Russian special operation in Ukraine. In particular, as part of the fourth package of sanctions, the European Union imposed a ban on the supply of “luxury items” to the Russian Federation, MK.RU reports. The restrictions affected cars worth more than 50 thousand euros, as well as expensive equipment, jewelry, perfumes, bags, precious stones, delicacies and alcohol, RT adds. However, the business of the Russian Federation has already begun to acquire equipment without the consent of the copyright holders as part of parallel imports. The head of the federal antimonopoly service, Maxim Shaskolsky, announced plans to return all imported goods to the country.

Russian business began to purchase equipment as part of parallel imports. This was stated by a representative of one of the trading companies selling equipment and electronics in the Russian Federation.

“Sales of consumer goods that will be imported into the Russian Federation without the consent of the copyright holder may start in June,” the Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov suggested earlier, Izvestia reports. He added that the list of goods for parallel imports was approved on May 6, and it will take about a month for trade to purchase goods. The Minister noted that the import of products without the consent of the copyright holder is allowed until the end of 2022.

At the same time, large retail chains do not risk buying Apple electronics, as there is a risk that gadgets in Russia will not be activated. “Russians can buy Apple equipment in third countries, but they themselves will be responsible for these products,” a source in one of the telecom retailers emphasized. At the same time, representatives of the stores assured that Russian buyers should not have problems finding and buying the right product in Russia – they managed to buy equipment in stores even before the sanctions hit the country.

Earlier, Denis Manturov said that foreign companies did not ask to exclude their goods from the list of parallel imports. At the same time, he noted that the Ministry of Industry and Trade would promptly respond to requests from companies to remove them from the list.

The EU countries, as well as the United States, Canada, Japan and a number of other states have imposed tough sanctions against Russia because of the Russian special operation in Ukraine. Sanctions pressure on Russia has been ongoing since the early 2000s and has escalated in recent months. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that their goal was to “cancel” Russia, ban its culture and role in major world events: “I am talking about the progressive discrimination of everything connected with Russia, about this trend that is unfolding in a number of Western states – with full connivance, and sometimes with the encouragement of the ruling elites.

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