SALW Destruction Activities in Croatia Continue: Another 1,560 SALW Eliminated

On 9 March, another 48 crates containing 1,560 pieces of small arms and light weapons were destroyed by the Croatian Ministry of Interior. The sixteenth such activity brings the total number of destroyed weapons to 23,398 since the end of 2010.

The destruction activities are a part of a larger project, the aim of which is to improve safety through collection and elimination of illegal and surplus small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Croatia. The project is implemented jointly by SEESAC, with support of UNDP Croatia, and the Croatian Ministry of Interior. The project envisions destruction of the total number of 30,000 pieces of small arms and light weapons to be destroyed in Croatia.

The implementation of the project is made possible by the financial support of the European Union. On 11 March 2010, EU Council passed the Decision 2010/179/CFSP to support 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. Led by this decision, the EU supports SEESAC in assisting government institutions to collect and destroy illegal and surplus SALW in Croatia.