UNDP SEESAC Participates at the PSSM Training Course Closing Ceremony at TRZ Kragujevac

On Friday, 15 June 2012, a two-week training course on physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) was finalized at the Tehnicki Remotni Zavod (TRZ) Kragujevac, Serbia.

The course was designed for representatives of the Ministries of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia and was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia and the International Trust Fund (Slovenia).

On Friday 15 June 2012, a two-week training course on physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) was finalized at the Tehnicki Remotni Zavod (TRZ) Kragujevac, Serbia. The course was designed for representatives of the Ministries of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia and was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia and the International Trust Fund (Slovenia) and financed by the United States of America.

As a partner to both the Ministry of Defence and ITF, SEESAC was invited to attend the closing day of the training and observe the practical demonstrations which took place. SEESAC’s Team Leader a.i., Dr. Ivan Zverzhanovski, addressed participants, stressing the importance of further improving the safe and secure storage of weapons and ammunition in the region, and commending the ITF, the MoD and TRZ Kragujevac for the successful completion of the course.

As SEESAC works to strengthen and support the capacities of national and regional stakeholders to control and reduce the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons and thus contribute to the enhanced security, stability and development in South Eastern and Eastern Europe, it continues to support all efforts which commit to a safer and more secure environment in the SEE region, including PSSM training courses such as the one organized at the TRZ Kragujevac.

Additionally, TRZ Kragujevac is a beneficiary of the Capacity Development for Conventional Ammunition Stockpile Management (CASM) for the Republic of Serbia project.

About CASM
CASM is a joint development programme of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). CASM activities are divided into three distinct components, namely infrastructure improvement of demilitarization facility TRZ Kragujevac; demilitarization and disposal of 1,133.86 tons of white phosphorus and napalm powder filled ammunition; and infrastructure development of Mrsac and Mirnicka Reka ammunition storage areas. 

Currently, the Ministry of Defense of Serbia holds around 8,000 tons of surplus ammunition, including 1,133.86 tons of ammunition filled with white phosphorus and napalm powder. Preventing incidents which endanger lives of civilians and devastate large areas of land are imperative for a country’s development and as such, CASM project supports the Republic of Serbia in its efforts to enhance security and safety of conventional ammunition storage facilities, dispose of surplus ammunition and strengthen demilitarization capacities of the Ministry of Defense.