Gjilan, 10 December 2009 - At the debate on the topic “Law on weapons, its implementation and shootings during celebrations”, organized by FIQ and Saferworld, in cooperation with KCIC organization, there were discussions on opportunities and challenges of implementation of the law on weapons, adopted a few months ago. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the Police, Prosecutor’s Office, Court, student and youth organizations, other NGOs and media, expressed their opinions on the issue of illegal possession of weapons in the country.
The representative from Saferworld organization presented some of the findings from the research on small and light weapons, whereas Kadrush Koliqi, head inspector at the Department for Public Security within MIA made a presentation on legal infrastructure for weapon control. 

Mr. Koliqi said that the Kosovo Police sequestrates each year around 2,000 weapons. However, this does not include the research done by different organizations that have offered approximate figures on number of illegal weapons in possession, which according to them, there are around 400,000 weapons throughout Kosovo. Mr. Koliqi, presented official statistics, saying that from May 2000 until April 2006, 386 murders and 783 attempts on murders with fire guns have happened. He added that the strategy on control and collection of weapons has been approved, which includes the amnesty (voluntary delivery), meanwhile the Department of Public Security is drafting the national list of weapons that will be in legal possession. Mr. Koliqi explained that the law requires civil polygons for exercises, granting access to all citizen groups (hunters, security companies etc).
 Police officers from Gjilan presented official statistics on the number of applicants for hunting weapons. They said that they are still working according to UNMIK regulations and administrative instructions, and that there were submitted 212 applications for hunting weapons during this year in the city of Gjilan. According to statistics and analysis, it seems that there is a low percentage of abuse with hunting weapons and there are few criminal acts from the activity with these legal weapons, except any rare threat and shoots during different celebrations. They said that the supposed number of 317 thousand weapons in an illegal possession is big and manipulating, if proportion with the number of Kosovo citizens is considered, and such an act should not be allowed.
Prosecutors from the District Prosecutor’s said that the Criminal Code foresees harsh punishments for owner, which is up to 8 years imprisonment for an illegal possession. They said that the law on weapons is a good one, but does not help in legalizing illegal weapons. According to them, during 2009 in the region of Gjilan, there were 199 criminal information cases for gun possession, including minors, which is a growing number of illegal possessions. 
Out of main issues that raised questions and debate, was the approximate number of small and light weapons in illegal possession and the risk it brings to the life of citizens and their safety, influence from the legalization and amnesty in lowering the number of illegal weapons, relation between tradition and weapon, weapon possession remained because of the war in Kosovo, and the need to organize awareness and information campaigns on legislation and danger caused by weapons. 
There were also discussions with regard to perceptions and approaches of a weapon possession.
There were different viewpoints at the debate, for example, some of the participants raised objections for the approximate number of illegal weapons, relation between tradition and weapons, and declarations hat the presence of weapons be treated as a permanent danger to the society.  Other participants mentioned the danger caused due to weapons to the life and safety of citizens (not the issue whether the weapon numbers are 300,000 or 50,000) even in cases when the guns are held for pleasure, with no specific purpose to commit any crime.
It was a joint opinion that the adoption of law is a positive step; nevertheless citizens are not informed on the law and its content. There are many cases when the citizens have started keeping weapons out of their houses, moving them into the streets or fields, because they do not have the courage to deliver them to the institutions thinking that these acts are criminal. Participants representing institutions were asked to organize information and awareness campaigns for citizens. NGOs were also asked to help these campaigns on dangers from the weapons. 
One of the participants said: “No gun is good. No gun is useful, it is only harmful. The society should be asked to put away guns”.
In general, both the participants from the institutions and the civil society agreed upon the opinion that only the law and voluntary delivery can not solve the problem, and that all should work together towards lowering the number of guns in illegal possession, thus l lowering the danger that comes from the weapons.
The debate was welcomed by the participants and there was a request to continue debating such issues in the future.