Skopje, 10 December 2024 (MIA) - Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski addressed Tuesday the 12th regional coordination meeting on implementation of the Western Balkans Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control Roadmap, saying these meetings not only stimulate regional cooperation in the development of skills and coordination in the field, but also lead to stronger cooperation with the EU member-states and agencies, as well as crucial international stakeholders in the field of SALW control.

"Accessibility and illicit use of firearms undermine justice, increase crime rates and risks of violence, as well as impact countries' stability. Building a system for control of legal and illegal flows of weapons is a necessity. The previous Roadmap had this specific objective, and its implementation showed that despite the progress made and efforts invested, a significant portion of the work still remains in reaching the highest standards and ensuring efficient control of firearms," said Minister Toshkovski.

He said the holistic approach applied by the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) has proved to be a success.

"Its success is seen in the fact that a couple of months ago, Western Balkans ministers of interior adopted the new roadmap for a sustainable solution on illicit possession, misuse and trafficking in SALW and ammunition 2025-2030. The impact of the roadmap implementation is largely owed to the cooperation and partnership among all international and European stakeholders in the field," noted Toshkovski.

Photo: Ministry of Interior