Tirana extends boat ban to fight smuggling

TIRANA, Dec 14 – Albania’s government extended the ban on the use of most private boats and yachts, as part of an effort to fight widespread smuggling.
A government decision renewed the ban until 2012. It was first set in 2006. It applies to the use of all small vessels, yachts and speedboats owned by Albanian citizens. Illegal boats can be confiscated.
Exceptions are made for craft licensed for fishing and transport, as well as foreign vessels.
Albania has pledged to crack down on smugglers taking people, drugs and weapons into the European Union, as part of its efforts to join the bloc.
The opposition reacted Monday saying that moratorium violated the Constitution.
They said it violated human rights in an unacceptable way.
The previous moratorium served as a transition period for the Albanian government to secure the border and create the proper maritime infrastructure to prevent illegal traffic.
The opposition asked the country’s president not to accept the law, which has first to be passed at the parliament, which the opposition is boycotting.
Unless they (parliament and president) do that, the opposition said they would ask the Constitutional Court to decide on such a law.