ExB Project: “Strengthening the capacities of the Serbian Ministry of Interior to more effectively reduce, prevent, and counter illicit trafficking and misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons, ammunition and explosives” (OSCE Mission to Serbia)

Duration

February 2022 – October 2025

Beneficiary/ies

Ministry of Interior, Agency for Marking, Branding, Testing, and Deactivation of Firearms and Ammunition

Donor/s

European Union, France, and Germany

Funding Amount

EUR 1,735,543

Funding gaps (if any)

EUR 335,943

Objective/s

• To strengthen the capacities of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) by developing and implementing legal framework for SALW deactivation and the use of service dogs for detection of SALW, ammunition and explosives, thus contributing to the enhancement of the MoI capabilities to reduce, prevent, and counter trafficking and misuse of SALW, ammunition and explosives in Serbia.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 3:

• Prevent trafficking (smuggling, illicit trade and transit) of FAE through improved processes, equipment and training of targeted law enforcement units

Goal 5:

• Systematically use deactivation to reduce illegal firearms possession

Key activities implemented up to date

• The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the project implementation was signed by the Mission and the MoI on 16 May 2023.
• In June 2023, an OSCE national expert (consultant) hired to develop the “Strategy for mainstreaming gender into project activities and results” submitted the final version of the Gender Mainstreaming Project Strategy, which serves as a gender blueprint guiding the project implementation to ensure gender perspective are integrated throughout.
• In July 2023, a National Construction Engineer was hired, completing the SALW K9 project team.
• On 4 March 2024, the first Project Steering Committee meeting was held.
• On 28 March 2024, Amendment No. 1 of the Project Proposal was approved by the Head of Mission, announced to the donors and the MoI on the first Project Steering Committee, covering.

1) Introduction of new components within Project Activities

2) An increase in the budget due to inflation

3) A nine-month extension (from January to October 2025) to accommodate delays from the initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing.

Result 1: The legal framework on deactivation is improved and harmonized with international standards and best practices:

• Project facilitated participation of the Serbian Proof House director in a study visit to the French Proof House Saint Etienne.
• During the period October - December 2022, National Civil Engineer expert hired by the FSC SU, visited the Proof House in Kragujevac and developed a consolidated List of infrastructural needs and requirements of the Proof House. Project facilitated two visits of the of National civil engineer expert to the Proof House in Kragujevac.
• In March 2023, an OSCE international expert (consultant) on deactivation prepared an initial draft assessment of relevant Serbian legislation and actual capacities for SALW deactivation; the expert submitted the zero draft on the assessment of national legislation, with recommendations on how to best incorporate the international normative frameworks and standards on SALW deactivation into the legislative framework of Serbia. and developed zero draft Action Plan for the advancement of the existing capabilities.
• In October 2023, market research was conducted for limited infrastructural updates of the Serbian Deactivation Agency.
• In March 2024, the draft ToR for procuring the Construction design and elaboration services for limited infrastructural upgrades at the Serbian Proof House was developed.
• In May 2024, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Agency for Marking, Branding, Testing, and Deactivation of Firearms and Ammunition (Deactivation Agency) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as a prerequisite for the continuation of the activities regarding the refurbishment of the Deactivation Agency`s facilities and procuring the equipment for enhancing capabilities of deactivation processes.
• In December 2024, the construction design services for the limited infrastructural upgrades at the Deactivation Agency were completed.

Result 2: The capacity of the MoI K9 Unit to detect illicit SALW, ammunition and explosives are enhanced in compliance with human rights standards:

• In December 2021, the Minister of Interior has determined the location for the K9 facilities and an initial visit to the site took place on 24 December 2021.
• In February 2022, a needs assessment report for the K9 center was prepared by a construction expert.
• The Mission translated and shared with the MoI Standard operating procedures (SOPs) used by the French and Scottish K9 units, providing guidance to police staff and officers on the following elements:
• Training and care of police dogs,
• Operational use of police dogs, and related practices.
• In September 2023, market research for the Construction design service for the new K9 facility was conducted.
• In December 2023, the Mission and the MoI agreed on the partial refurbishment of the existing Bezanijska Kosa K9 facility, including mobile training polygons and mobile dog containers. This location change was due to information provided by the MoI in October 2023 that the Gendarmerie will be using the entire Lipovica 2 location and therefore there will be no room to accommodate the K9 infrastructure.
• In April 2024, the MoI’s Working Group for the development of the K9 Master Plan and the Standard Operating Procedures was established based on the agreed ToR. In June 2024, the first meeting of the MoI’s Working Group (WG) for the development of the SOP for the use of K9 Capacities, as well as the K9 Master Plan, was held. The WG consists of MoI’s representatives from various departments (including the Company of Service Dog Handlers - Special Police Unit “Police Brigade”, General Police Directorate, and Border Police Directorate). Five additional meetings were held from July to December 2024.
• In April 2024, two SALW K9 experts from the French Gendarmerie visited Belgrade, as part of efforts aimed at developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the use of K9 capacity, as well as the K9 Master Plan for the modernization of this important resource.
• In June 2024, the tender for the procurement of the equipment for enhancing the capacity of the K9 Unit was completed, with an expected delivery of the items in Q3-Q4 2024.  The Donation Agreement was signed on 24 September 2024, and the donation of equipment is scheduled for January 2025.
• In June 2024, the Project contracted an international expert to support the development of the SOP and the K9 Master Plan and provide support to the WG in developing a comprehensive and sustainable long-term strategy for the transformation of the K9 Unit.
• In August 2024, the tender for the procurement of specialized K9 vehicles was completed, and two vehicles are scheduled to be delivered in May 2025.
• In October 2024, the tender for Project Design services for the K9 facility Bezanijska kosa was published for the infrastructural upgrades of the K9 Unit.
• In December 2024, a six-week training for two dog handlers of the K9 Unit at the National Centre for Dog Training of the Gendarmerie (CNICG) in Gramat, France, was completed.

Main challenges encountered

• Complex internal coordination of the MoI, coupled with every so often conflicting view regarding core activities of the project, with exhausting procedures for scheduling meetings with Focal Points.
• Inflation and the rising prices of construction materials and labor also restricted the limited funding for design and construction work.
• Lengthy procedures and strict national regulations on the import of some of the K9 equipment.