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Split, 10 December 2011

Split citizens say farewell to arms one more time

UNDP and Croatian police conclude EU-funded "Less arms, less tragedies" campaign

With a public event on the Split waterfront featuring demonstrations by a bomb-squad robot and police sniffer dogs, the Croatian Ministry of Interior (MUP) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) wrapped up the latest phase in a four-year campaign to collect illegal small arms and explosive devices from the general public. Since September 2007, the "Less arms, less tragedies" campaign has collected a total of 2,223 automatic weapons, 3,886 guns and small arms, 56,748 explosive devices, 2,155,325 rounds of ammunition and 2,161 kg of explosives. The latest phase of the campaign was funded by the European Union (EU) under a regional arms control project covering the Western Balkans. After launching in Split, the campaign, organized by MUP with UNDP support, visited virtually every Croatian town to remind the public of the dangers of keeping illegal weapons in attics and basements and encouraging their voluntary surrender.
The EU-funded two-year project is based on a European Council Decision in line with the EU strategy to combat the illicit ownership of and trafficking in small arms, light weapons and ammunition. The budget for Croatia was Euro 400,000, and the project runs until March 2012. In addition to weapons collection, the project also focuses on the destruction of surplus weapons and improving the security stockpile facilities where weapons are stored.

police robot TEODORPhoto (above): Split citizens learn more about explosive devices

"Today, Croatia is an increasingly prosperous and secure country. Yet illegal firearms and explosives are kept in some homes and continue to post a threat to human lives, especially children," said Vitalie Vremis, UNDP's acting Deputy Resident Representative. "A secure and prosperous Croatia in the heart of Europe does not need illegal firearms and explosives, and we call on all people to support this campaign and make sure that the tragedies of the past do not become the tragedies of the future."

Photo (right): bomb-squad robot TEODOR

"Today's event concludes the series of campaigns financed by the EU, but we hope that 'Less arms, less tragedies' will not end with this, but will continue through the engagement of the Ministry of Interior and the support of UNDP," said Ivo Labrović, Deputy Head of the Split-Dalmatia Police Administration.

In 2010 and 2011, the campaign visited more than twenty towns, including Ogulin, Rovinj, Makarska, Delnice, Pula, Križevci, Koprivnica, Kutina, Zagreb County, Osijek, Karlovac, Vojnic, Sisak, Slatina, Varazdin, Daruvar, Zadar, Krapina, Pozega, Gospic, Vinkovci and now Split. In each location, hundreds of citizens gathered to learn more about the dangers of illegally stored and traded weapons and how anyone can surrender illegal weapons without fear of punishment.

Photos below: Demonstration of work of police sniffer dog and performance of students of Primary School Marjan Split

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