Destruction of surplus weapons - a way toward higher security

7 December 2010

The First Vice-president, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Interior, Ivica Dacic, said today that the MoI's action of surplus weapons destruction would contribute towards increased security of all citizens and would fulfill the commitments of the UN Programme on combating illicit arms trade.

Dacic, who was present at the weapons destruction event, organized in cooperation with the Southeastern and Eastern Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) and held at the Recycling Centre in Zeleznik, pointed out that the presence of large amounts of the so-called light weapons caused instability in the society.

He recalled that so far more than 40,000 weapons of all calibers had been destroyed and that in the last couple of days a part of the group that was trafficking weapons from Bosnia and Herzegovina to Serbia and from there to the EU countries had been arrested.

"When certain environmental issues have been settled, a large amount of narcotics will also be destroyed", announced the Vice Prime Minister.

The Ministry of Interior destroyed 28,285 small arms, mostly pistols and rifles, at the Recycling Centre in Zeleznik today; the destroyed weapons were under control of the MoI on the basis of executive verdicts related to various crimes.