Over 200 thousand weapons without permission, long-term strategy required for their sequencing

Another element remains the issue of agreements that might reach the parties that are at odds, and this has influenced them to reflect in the context of what is not to increase the activities of criminal acts of murder, but to have such a reduction. But we have to reflect and we're going to have to see that the equivalent of criminal acts that could be the minimum murder, and for that we're going to have to co-operate that the police, prosecutorial and judicial system have a harmony and that there's a proper functionality to minimize such activity”, he said of EO.

Shala praised the work of the Kosovo Police for reducing illegal weapons, stressing the importance of creating a long-term strategic plan.

“For the seizure of weapons, Kosovo is slowly clearing itself of weapons that have been like relics of the 1990s wars, and this is a good indication that the Kosovo Police have influenced increased activity in cases of arms and ammunition seizures, but will have to think of a long-term strategic plan, which will no doubt have to be a new campaign that urges Kosovo citizens who have illegal weapons in their homes to surrender without prosecution. This increase is the indication that police do operational work, while we have to think about a step away that 250 thousand weapons considered to be in the hands of Kosovo citizens, hand them over through certain forms and campaignings that minimize the total risk of weapons that are in the hands of the citizens of”, he said.

Another security recogniser, Avni Islami, said Kosovo, as a war country, still faces large numbers of illegal weapons, including combat and sports weapons.

Islam stressed the need for Kosovo institutions to find shape and way to seduce those who possess illegal weapons to hand them over.

“rracated with countries in the region, Kosovo does not stand with illegal weapons in proportion to other countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, etc. However, despite not being compared with other countries, this large number of weapons regardless of how many have surrendered, and some have been equipped with permission, yet there are large numbers and Kosovo institutions have to find shape and order to seduce all those who have weapons of war, to surrender, or to subsidize individuals who have these”, he said.

He stressed that socioeconomic factors play an important role in cases of violence.

And one of the factors is this, but there are other factors, and the main factors are socioeconomic factors because in the most cases we have injuries or murders, there are non-membership deals for low motives, even plunder. And when all these factors are taken into account, then a better socioeconomic welfare of citizens will be less interested in having problems”, he stated.

According to Kosovo Police data, the number of murders has suffered a decline of 41.38%, ranging from 29 cases in 2023 to 17 cases in 2024.

In addition to the killings, several other criminal acts have suffered significant reductions.

Robbery has dropped by 11.03%, down from 3844 cases to 3420.

Heavy thefts have suffered a 23.37% drop, down from 2555 cases in 1958.

Robbery has dropped by 13.85%, down from 81 cases to 70.

And during the year 2024, the number of confiscated weapons was increased by 23.3 percent, with 1586 weapons confiscated, while the ammunition seized was 28,859. / EO