28,285 Weapons Destroyed in Serbia

On 07 December 2010 the Ministry of Interior (MoI) of the Republic of Serbia destroyed 28,285 surplus and confiscated weapons. The destruction took place at the "Centar za reciklazu" in Zeleznik, near Belgrade.

The destruction was funded by the European Union (EU) and it is an activity under the EU Council Decision 2010/179/CFSP of 11 March 2010 in support of SEESAC arms control activities in the Western Balkans, in the framework of the EU Strategy to combat the illicit accumulation and trafficking of SALW and their ammunition.

This destruction is a continuation of the successful cooperation between the Ministry of Interior and SEESAC which has already resulted in the disposal of 27,000 weapons on 3 October and 21 November 2009.

Mr. Ivica Dacic, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, thanked the EU and SEESAC for their support for Serbia's efforts in SALW control. He announced that the Ministry will continue cooperating with all interested organizations for the implementation of the national SALW Strategy.

Mr. Thomas Gnocchi, Head of the Political Section at the Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Serbia, praised the efforts of the MoI in implementing SALW control measures and expressed the hope that other relevant institutions in Serbia will also engage in reducing their surplus stockpiles.

Mr. William Infante, UN Resident Coordinator, thanked the EU for their continuous support and once again emphasized the readiness of the UN system in Serbia to continue contributing to the strengthening of human security in the country.