Regional platforms for capacity development
In addition to the SEEFEN Network, capacity development of key institutions for combatting arms trafficking was facilitated through technical-level region-wide platforms such as the Regional Meeting of Border Police Services and Customs, the Meeting of the Criminal Police Services, and the Annual Workshop of Firearms Focal Points Process from the Western Balkans, Moldova, and the European Union. SEESAC's multifaceted approach encompassed improved procedures, equipment, and targeted law enforcement training.
Enhancing detection and investigation capacities
The capacities of border and criminal police in the region to combat illicit arms trafficking were strengthened through the procurement and delivery of equipment worth approximately 5.5 million EUR.
The delivery of over 3.3 million EUR worth of equipment to bolster border police services in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia was finalized. Building on these efforts, additional Firearms Detection Training was conducted for border police of Montenegro in December 2024, further enhancing their operational skills, complementing the trainings delivered for all six WB jurisdictions in 2023.
Furthermore, support for criminal police services across the region also continued. Equipment procurement processes worth nearly 2.1 million EUR were finalized in six Western Balkan jurisdictions and Moldova, with the equipment delivered by the end of the year marking a significant step forward in strengthening the region's capacity to counter illicit arms trafficking effectively.
Upon request, North Macedonia was supported in developing the Standard Operating Procedure for the Firearms Reported as Stolen, Lost or Found. Additionally, SEESAC assisted in the development of the Manual on Shooting Range in the Forensic Lab in Skopje, which addresses all necessary measures for the safe usage of the shooting range.
Following the support to the establishment of an electronic Weapons Registry in Moldova, in 2024 SEESAC completed a feasibility study on extending the weapons registry nationwide and linking it to other relevant national databases.
The Ministry of Internal and Foreign Trade of Serbia was supported in upgrading their software for record-keeping and reporting on arms transfers completed in August 2024.
Operationalizing Firearms Focal Points (FFPs)
Support for the operationalization of Firearms Focal Points (FFPs) across the region continued in 2024, enhancing their capacities to conduct effective firearms-related investigations and to combat illicit firearms misuse and trafficking. This included expert advice, technical support, and specialized training programs and workshops.
Key activities included workshops on strengthening collaboration between FFPs, ballistic laboratories, and prosecution offices in Skopje, Podgorica and Tirana. Analyst Notebook trainings in Belgrade and Tirana equipped FFP representatives with advanced tools for firearms investigations and strategic analysis, while Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) training in Sarajevo and Moldova enhanced skills in internet investigations and virtual currency analysis.
Additionally, Analyst Trainings held in six Western Balkans jurisdictions focused on emerging threats like 3D-printed firearms, intelligence analysis, and international cooperation.
SEESAC also finalized a knowledge product, "3D-Printed Firearms: State of Play, Challenges, and Law Enforcement Approach" providing critical insights and strategies for addressing this evolving threat.
These efforts strengthened the strategic and operational capabilities of FFPs, fostering regional collaboration and improving responses to firearms-related crime.
Enhancing crime scene investigation (CSI) capacities
SEESAC continued to enhance the capacities of Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Units1 across the Western Balkans, aligning their practices with EU best practices.
The main achievements included the completion of initial audits of CSI Units in Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, and North Macedonia, resulting in detailed Needs Assessment Reports and Action Plans for ISO/IEC 17020:2012 accreditation. SEESAC also conducted a comparative analysis of existing CSI SOPs in the region with European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) best practices, producing gap analysis reports with tailored recommendations. The gap analysis was presented at the margins of the regional meeting of criminal police in Sarajevo in 2024.
Furthermore, guidelines for drafting a quality manual for ISO/IEC 17020:2012 accreditation were finalized, translated into local languages, and shared with relevant institutions to aid in developing Quality Management Systems (QMS).
1 For the United Nations Development Programme, references to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).
* For the European Union, this designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
