New laser system to prevent illegal use of weapons

SKOPJE, 18 March 2024 – The introduction of a new system for the management of deactivated firearms, made possible by donations from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the OSCE Mission to Skopje, will help prevent weapons misuse and improve safety throughout North Macedonia.

The firearm laser marking machine, installed in the Ministry of Interior, will mark deactivated firearms in a specialized and permanent manner. These weapons will now be systematically recorded, thereby improving their traceability. Additionally, deactivation certificates, equipped with protective features to prevent counterfeiting, will be introduced alongside the marking process.

"We have supported the fight against the misuse of small arms and light weapons through various activities because we believe this is an efficient way to increase the level of safety of Macedonian citizens,” said Armen Grigoryan, UNDP Resident Representative. “With the procurement of this firearm laser marking machine, and the previously installed microscope for analyzing gunshot residues, we have significantly strengthened the technical capacities of the Ministry of Interior to more effectively address and prevent the illegal use of firearms."

The joint interventions by UNDP and the OSCE Mission to Skopje help the country meet its obligations in the implementation of the regulations on marking imported and deactivated firearms, as well as meeting international and European Union standards on managing small arms and light weapons.

“Today’s donation will enable the Ministry of Interior to issue deactivation certificates aligned with international standards and effectively strengthen weapons control,” said Ambassador Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje. “This has a positive effect not only on the lives of the people in the country but also on the rest of Europe, as weapons originating from this region were often used in crimes and even terrorist attacks elsewhere.”

UNDP's donation is funded by the governments of Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom and Norway through the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which is supported by the European Union. The OSCE Mission to Skopje's donation is funded by Belgium, the European Union, France, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, and the United States of America.