29 Dec 2017

Appeals for Vanuatu to seek dialogue with Poland on kava ban

3:21 pm on 29 December 2017

Vanuatu's former Ambassador to the European Union is appealing to the government to seek dialogue with the Polish Ambassador in Canberra to discuss the kava ban in Poland.

Roy Micky Joy says the government should send a diplomatic note through the Vanuatu High Commission in Canberra to make this happen.

Poland is warning travellers not to bring the mild sedative into the country as kava is classified alongside hard drugs like cocaine.

This is despite Poland being part of the European Union which has recently resumed importing kava.

Mr Joy said he questioned why 26 members of the European Parliament stay silent on the issue of kava while one member, Poland, bans the drink from its shores.

He said Poland's kava ban goes back to 2005, and that may allow Vanuatu and Poland to engage in political dialogue towards finding an amicable solution to the kava ban.