National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
27 March 2014 Participants of the seminar
Friday, 28 March 2014
Seminar on Parliaments’ Role in Reducing Threat of Small Arms and Light Weapons in Western Balkans
The National Assembly House hosted a two-day seminar on the “Role of the parliaments in reducing the threat of small arms and light weapons in the Western Balkans – experience and new challenges”
The seminar was opened by Konstantin Samofalov, member of the National Assembly’s Defence and Internal Affairs Committee and Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons Board member. Samofalov stressed that the MPs play a key role in the successful implementation of policies aimed at reducing the threat of small arms and light weapons. Serbia has recently organised many awareness campaigns on the threat of these weapons, said Samofalov pointing out the importance of harmonising the national legislation with European regulations especially in light of Serbia’s future EU membership.
The participants of the seminar were also addressed by Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Resident Representative in Serbia. She spoke about how important it was to regularly publish reports on small arms and light weapons in the Western Balkans. Serbia has made considerable progress in that sense and achieved the highest level of transparency, said Vojackova-Sollorano.
Teresa Dybek spoke about the activities of the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
On the first day the participants discussed the parliaments’ role in arms export control oversight and the benefits and best practices of disposal of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.
On the second day the discussion turned to tackling the threats of surplus ammunition in the Western Balkans and improving policies on combating illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. The participants were informed about the experiences from small arms and light weapons collection campaigns and exchanged opinions on how parliamentarians can contribute to their success.
The seminar was attended by the members of parliaments of Western Balkan countries, Sweden, Burkina Faso and Uruguay, as well as small arms and light weapons control experts and representatives of international and civil society organisations.
The seminar was organised with the support of the Parliamentary Forum on SALW from Sweden, UNDP/SEESAC and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
The participants of the seminar were also addressed by Irena Vojackova-Sollorano, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Resident Representative in Serbia. She spoke about how important it was to regularly publish reports on small arms and light weapons in the Western Balkans. Serbia has made considerable progress in that sense and achieved the highest level of transparency, said Vojackova-Sollorano.
Teresa Dybek spoke about the activities of the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
On the first day the participants discussed the parliaments’ role in arms export control oversight and the benefits and best practices of disposal of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition.
On the second day the discussion turned to tackling the threats of surplus ammunition in the Western Balkans and improving policies on combating illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons. The participants were informed about the experiences from small arms and light weapons collection campaigns and exchanged opinions on how parliamentarians can contribute to their success.
The seminar was attended by the members of parliaments of Western Balkan countries, Sweden, Burkina Faso and Uruguay, as well as small arms and light weapons control experts and representatives of international and civil society organisations.
The seminar was organised with the support of the Parliamentary Forum on SALW from Sweden, UNDP/SEESAC and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.
