The Ministry of Internal Affairs today launched the awareness campaign against celebratory gunfire "Celebrate with your heart, not your gun". The opening of this ceremony was made by the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and at the same time the national coordinator for the control of small arms, light weapons and explosives, Mr. Blerim Gashani.  

Deputy Minister Gashani expressed his determination to fight the use of guns during celebrations to improve security in our country and emphasized that statistics show that illegal weapons have caused a significant number of murders, where the Police of the Republic of Kosovo regularly confiscate 1500 different types of weapons with no license on an annual basis.

Also, Mr. Gashani emphasized that the campaign aims to raise collective awareness and awareness regarding the consequences of the misuse of firearms and the dangers they bring and that the mission and daily commitment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its subordinate agencies are to advance the level of security in the Republic of Kosovo in close cooperation with the citizens and at the same time to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

At the end of his speech, Mr. Gashani said that the illegal possession of firearms and cold weapons appears to decrease every year, but they still present a threat to human life and public order and security in Kosovo and that the perception of security by the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo has changed positively, and he said that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is willing to work further together to make our country a safer place for all our citizens.

The event was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Donika Gërvalla-Schwarc who expressed her position regarding the use of guns during the celebratory events, emphasizing that guns should not be part of these moments of joy. Ms. Gërvalla emphasized that the use of guns is a widespread problem that affects not only our society but also other societies in the world, especially during festive times when we should celebrate and be happy.

In the Republic of Kosovo, celebratory gunfire at parties and celebrations is prohibited and constitutes a criminal action punishable by law. During the year 2023, according to published data, cases of gunfire during family celebrations have increased by 17.60%, registering 25 more cases compared to last year. In the same period, a total of 142 cases of gunfire at parties and celebrations were reported.