OSCE Presence strengthens firearms deactivation capacities in Albania

To strengthen Albania’s capacities against the trafficking and misuse of small arms and light weapons, the OSCE Presence carried out the retrofitting and equipped the firearms deactivation centre in Mullet with specialized machinery.

“This is an important step in our joint work to support public safety in Albania,” said the Head of the Presence, Ambassador Michel Tarran, during a ceremony organized at the Technical Material Supply Centre. Minister of Interior Besfort Lamallari, General Director of the State Police Skënder Hita and Deputy Head of German Embassy Thilo Schroeter also spoke at the event.

The upgrading of the Centre’s premises was carried out within the framework of the project “Assisting the national authorities of the Republic of Albania to decrease the risk of weapon proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons”, implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania with financial support from the European Union, Germany and France, and in close co-operation with the Ministry of Interior and the State Police.

The project supports Albania’s efforts to strengthen both the legal framework and the practical work on firearms deactivation. Through the project, the OSCE Presence has provided several strategic and practical documents, including an assessment of the legal and practical framework on deactivation, as well as a training manual serving as the basis for specialized trainings.

The project also contributes to strengthening the capacities of the Police Dog Training Institute and to raising public awareness about the risks related to the misuse and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.