Target of 30,000 SALW Marked for Destruction in Croatia Surpassed – Another 2,500 SALW Destroyed

On 19 December 2012, another 2,500 pieces of small arms and light weapons (SALW) that were in the possession of the Ministry of Interior of Croatia as confiscated and surplus weapons, were destroyed in Varazdin, Croatia. The destruction was a part of the EU supported SEESAC Arms Control Activities in the Western Balkans that has been ongoing since 2010. With the disposal of these weapons, the initial target of 30,000 SALW planned for destruction two years ago has been surpassed.  

This final destruction, organized by the Ministry of Interior and UNDP/SEESAC, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Croatia, concluded a three-part SALW control project that has been ongoing in Croatia since 2010. The project was funded by the EU, under the EU Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP from 11 March 2010, in support of SEESAC arms control activities in the Western Balkans, and within the framework of the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition.

The three segments of the project included:
The upgrade of MURAT

• The upgrade of MURAT, Croatian Ministry of Interior’s central weapons and ammunition storage facility;
• SALW awareness raising and collection campaign which took place in 20 municipalities across the country and during which  citizens of Croatia voluntarily surrendered over 29,000 explosive devices, 2, 705 SALW, over 900 kg of explosive and more than 8 million pieces of ammunition;
• The destruction of over 30,000 small arms and light weapons.

As was the case in the previous disposal, the last 2,500 pieces of SALW were melted at the MIV plant and subsequently cast into various types of commercial products such as valves, fittings, furniture, etc.