Serbia: Collection and Registration of Weapons
SEESAC’s collection and registration of weapons project in Serbia is designed to help the Serbian Ministry of Interior collect any unwanted weapons, explosive devices, ordinances and associated ammunition, as well as to legalize, through registration, such items currently in the civilian possession.
Once commenced, the planned awareness-raising actions will be coordinated by a committee consisting of specialists from the Ministry of Interior and UNDP/SEESAC as well as PR experts where necessary, in order to properly disseminate details about the legalization and voluntary surrender of illegal firearms. The campaign will mainly relay on local dissemination channels that are best able to make an impact on a local level. Local information dissemination will be reinforced at the national level through reporting, interviews and documentaries. Information on the campaigns will be provided through electronic and written media. The campaign messages will be positive and show implementation in practice.
The project will help enhance security across the Western Balkans by taking dangerous weapons off the streets through a two-way communication between the public and the police. The project will particularly target age-groups in possession of illegal weapons and those likely to intend to acquire weapons. One such nation-wide project, Celebrate Without Weapons, has been initiated by the Serbian Ministry of Interior with the assistance of SEESAC and is currently ongoing.
SEESAC’s weapons collection activities are funded by the European Union (EU) under the EU COUNCIL DECISION 2010/179/CFSP, dated 11 March 2010, expressing support for SEESAC arms control activities in the Western Balkans, within the framework of the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition.
