The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme through its regional project SEESAC (South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons) supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs with IT equipment worth around 170,000 EUR for the operationalisation of the electronic weapons registry at the national level.

The electronic register of weapons was developed with the financial support of the EU within the Budget Support Programme for Police Reform 2016-2020.

“Today we are witnessing the initiation of a new chapter in the activity of the Police of the Republic of Moldova, when the digitalization of processes transposes into reality, step by step,” said Viorel Cernauteanu, Head of the Head of Moldovan General Police Inspectorate, declared at the handover ceremony, organised today.

“With this initiative we are supporting the work conducted by the national authorities in advancing further in the field of small arms and light weapons control. In line with the EU-Republic of Moldova Association reform agenda and in the context of the new candidate status of the country, this EU funded action is an additional contribution to security and the fight against organised crime. This is a key priority for EU cooperation with the Republic of Moldova, for the benefit of its citizens,” Jānis Mažeiks, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, pointed out.

“In these uncertain times, it is imperative to keep developing innovative solutions to address contemporary security challenges. The operationalisation of the electronic registry for a fast and digital record keeping of firearms is an important component of the comprehensive support that we are providing to the authorities towards such effective and efficient solution in tackling the firearms related threats,” said Dima Al-Khatib, UNDP Resident Representative to the Republic of Moldova.

The operationalisation of the electronic weapons registry at the national level will significantly enhance the recording and data keeping by the police related to legal firearms in the Republic of Moldova.

The delivered IT equipment for the weapons registry has been provided through the EU Council Decision 2019/2111 “in support of SEESAC disarmament and arms control activities in South East Europe reducing the threat of illicit small arms and light weapons and their ammunition” which is contributing further to improved security in the South East Europe and in the EU by combatting the threat posed by illicit small arms and light weapons and their ammunition in and from South East and East Europe.

This important donation is a continuation of the support that UNDP and SEESAC have provided to the authorities in the Republic of Moldova with EU’s financial assistance in ensuring an effective and efficient control of small arms and light weapons (SALW).

In the framework of European Union Council Decision CFSP 2016/2356 and with the EU financial support, UNDP SEESAC delivered laser marking machine, that was presented during the ceremony, for most of the Western Balkan Jurisdictions and the Republic of Moldova, in order to improve the capacities of the region on import and deactivation marking of firearms, in line with the EU standards. Delivery and installation of the machines was followed by a specialized training. Marking of firearms is the essential precondition for successful tracing and in that way preventing the diversion of firearms into illegal flaws.

With the financial support of the EU, SEESAC is providing a comprehensive support to the institutions in the Republic of Moldova in preventing and countering misuse, illicit possession and trafficking of firearms. Such support includes the destruction since 2004 of 9,836 pieces of SALW and 1,955 parts and components, security infrastructure upgrades which have also been successfully implemented in one Ministry of Defence storage location, one armament storage of the General Police Inspectorate, and two evidence rooms of the General Police Inspectorate. SEESAC has also provided numerous trainings to the personnel of the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in enhancing their capacities. Finally, SEESAC has supported awareness raising on the dangers of the misuse and illicit possession of firearms through the implementation of several SALW collection and awareness-raising campaigns in the Republic of Moldova, reaching over 100,000 people.

SEESAC works to strengthen the capacities of national and regional stakeholders to control and reduce the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, advance gender equality, facilitate regional cooperation and thus contribute to enhanced stability, security and development in South East and East Europe. It functions as a joint initiative of UNDP and the Regional Cooperation Council  and it works closely with the governments in South East and East Europe.