A meeting was held in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse Project. In the meeting, Osman Atalay Member of the IHH Board of Trustees, AID Chairman Mevlit Yurtseven and Ibrahim Hadzibajric Municipal Mayor of Stari Grad discussed the details of the project.

In addition to children and youth who are the main target of drug addiction, with this project worth 200 thousand Euros that will materialize in collaboration with Sarajevo’s Stari Grad Municipality, and contributions of the Islamic Development Bank (IDP), we also aim to inform families, teachers and imams on the topic of drugs.  

“Security measures alone are insufficient”

In his statement given there, Osman Atalay, who explained that drugs are trafficked from Afghanistan and the Middle East via Turkey and the Balkans and distributed throughout Europe, said “This regions acts as a bridge for drug trafficking. This is why the younger population living both in Turkey and the Balkans are a target.” Atalay, who stated that drug addiction has become dangerously widespread among the younger population in recent years, said it is also the responsibility of NGOs to take preventive measures. Speaking of the extensiveness of drug addiction in the Balkans, Atalay, who emphasized that drug use in countries in this region on average is between 5-7 %, added “Here we see that security measures alone in these countries is insufficient. Non-governmental organizations must also play a major role in preventative measures.”

Project to be implemented for the first time abroad

Explaining that they materialized a project concerning the prevention of drug addiction, Mevlit Yurseven said “Today, drug addiction is an issue as severe as terror.  There are four phases. Our concern is to reduce the demand of drugs, in other words, preventing drug addiction before this occurs by raising awareness among families and the youth. There is no such thing as a “cure” after this occurs. There is only something called staying clean, and this is a somewhat expensive and difficult procedure.” Yurtseven, who stressed that the aim of the project is to reach families, local teachers and volunteer groups said “Our aim is to prevent this disease together.” Yurtseven added that this project will be implemented for the first time outside Turkey in Bosnia.

“We discussed the details”

Pointing out that drug addiction was becoming more widespread in Bosnia Ibrahim Hazibajric said “This problem exists in every city of the country. AID responded to the letter of intent we sent regarding this problem. We met here today and discussed the details of the project we plan to launch at the end of the year.”