Major Upgrade Improves Security at Orman Weapons Storage Facility

Orman/Skopje, 15 January 2016 – The storage of surplus weapons and ammunition has become more secure thanks to a EUR 270,000 upgrade to the Ministry of Interior’s main storage facility in Orman, on the outskirts of the capital, Skopje. The upgrade was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through a long-running regional project dedicated to fighting illicit trade in small arms and ammunition. State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Anastasija Ilieska, UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton, and Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation Martin Klaucke took part in the handover ceremony of the upgraded storage facility on 15 January 2016.

The upgrades include the installation of security gates, doors, windows, perimeter fences, a video surveillance system, and access controls, and upgrades of the electrical installation and exterior lighting.

The EU supports the storage upgrades in Orman through the EU Support of SEESAC Disarmament and Arms Control Activities in South East Europe Project (EUSAC), as part of the project’s first component, Increased Security of Stockpiles through Infrastructure Improvements and Capacity Development. This component aims to enhance the security and improve the management of weapons and ammunition stockpiles.  As a result, the component contributes to increased security and safety of citizens not just of the country, but also all across South East Europe (SEE) and beyond.

Large-scale weapons stockpiles and the legacy of conflict in the region have raised concerns not only about safety at home but also about cross-border trafficking of weapons, including for terrorist purposes, to European destinations further north. Addressing these concerns is at the heart of the EU strategy to combat illicit accumulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition. Mandated by the EU Council Decision 2013/730/CFSP, the storage upgrades represent a continuation of the EU’s support to the fight against illicit trafficking in SALW, in and from South East Europe, and form an essential part in its efforts to achieve the EU SALW Strategy goals.