United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

From 6 to 8 February 2023, under the auspices of “Project Justitia”, an initiative focused on combatting organized crime and illicit firearms trafficking, UNODC held meetings in Skopje and Belgrade. These gatherings involved representatives from all six Western Balkans jurisdictions and the primary goal was to enhance the criminal justice system's response to arms trafficking in the region through the joint development of a specialized Training Course on Investigation and Prosecution of Firearms Offences. The meetings aimed to pool insights and expertise to create a training course tailored for criminal justice practitioners, addressing the unique challenges faced in the Western Balkans.

UNODC presented an overview of its Guidelines on the investigation and prosecution of firearms offences. This session aimed at providing a foundation for the development of the training course, highlighting the significance of these Guidelines in addressing firearms trafficking. A central feature of the meeting was the extensive consultations between UNODC officials and experts from law enforcement and prosecutorial services across the Western Balkans. These discussions were critical for gathering inputs, recommendations, and support for the training course development. The aim was to ensure the course's relevance and effectiveness for practitioners in the region.

The agenda included a detailed look at the legal framework, including criminal material and procedural law concerning firearms offences. This involved examining both domestic and international contexts, with a focus on recent legal changes of the criminal codes in North Macedonia and Montenegro. The goal was to identify how these changes could be integrated into the training material.

Sessions on technical and forensic analysis were led by ballistic experts, covering topics such as the identification, marking, and tracing of firearms and ammunition. The emphasis was on the practical application of ballistics science and the role of forensic evidence in solving and prosecuting firearms-related crimes. The meeting also addressed the investigation and prosecution processes, detailing the steps from preliminary stages of the proceedings, qualification of the offences, investigations and prosecutions. Discussions highlighted the importance of special investigative measures and the value of international cooperation.

The collaborative work at the event aimed at designing a training course that responds to the specific needs and legal requirements of the Western Balkans jurisdictions. This meeting was an essential step in the process of developing a training course aimed at improving the investigation and prosecution of firearms offences.

The meetings resulted in collection of inputs and recommendations for the development of a comprehensive Training Course on Investigation and Prosecution of Firearms Offences, incorporating the latest changes in criminal codes and legal practices specific to the Western Balkans jurisdictions. The events also enhanced collaboration and knowledge exchange among criminal justice practitioners in the Western Balkans, leading to improved effectiveness in combating illicit firearms trafficking and organized crime.

 

This activity is implemented with financial support provided by Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, and Norway through the Western Balkans SALW Control Roadmap Trust Fund and supported by the European Union.