Macedonian PM: Invest in cannabis, it's profitable

Zoran Zaev is convinced that by the end of May, Macedonia will have hard currency income from exporting dried cannabis flowers that are processed into oil.

The prime minister of Macedonia has also urged all those who have the resources to invest in the production of cannabis, "because it is profitable."

He pointed out that "ethics and law in Macedonia" allow the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, and that eight licenses have been issued so far, while another "four or five" are under review.

Zaev, he said, personally supports such businesses - one of the reason being that he expects them to produce new jobs and EUR 100 million income - which is 0.1 percent of Macedonia's GDP.

"It is permitted by law, not only in Macedonia, but also in a larger number of countries in the world. It has a beneficial effect, it heals, it is accepted by our health care and the World Health Organization," he said.

Zaev said that he is convinced that by the end of May, Macedonia will have hard currency inflow from the export of dried cannabis for oil processing to the markets of Poland and Germany.

The Macedonian prime minister made these statements last Thursday in the Macedonian Assembly, after an MP asked whether it was true that a cousin of his was producing cannabis for medical purposes, the weekly Nedeljnik is reporting.

Zaev then confirmed that his cousin Trajca Zaev had bought a greenhouse to grow cannabis, in partnership with a company from Slovenia, whicih has cannabis medicine production plants in Germany and Poland.

According to Zaev, the total investment in this business in Macedonia will be 10 million euros, it already employs 30 people, and aims to reach 130 workers.