Interior Minister Gordana Jankuloska said discussions are under way on taking certain measures to pass new normative solutions referring to stricter regulations for possessing and using service guns, because the Arms Law refers only to weapons for which a private ownership licence has been issued.

It seems like, she added, that there is room to introduce stricter regulations in terms of using and owing service guns.

“The government has already announced an initiative and we are acting upon it. I expect very quickly all the institutions, allowing their staff to own a gun, to analyse their internal regulations and procedures and to put forward solutions introducing an additional preventative activity,” Jankuloska explained after opening a regional conference on police reform in Skopje.

All of these measures wouldn’t be enough and would fail in yielding results unless the entire society is part of a comprehensive campaign for zero tolerance of any kind of violence, the Minister pledged.

Asked to comment the recent triple murder committed by a professional soldier, Minister Jankuloska concluded that “unfortunately” recently we had been witnessing events of escalating violence, especially domestic violence. “The MoI is continuously taking systematic measures and promoting zero tolerance of this kind of behaviour.”

“In this particular case, it is necessary to make a distinction because the murder was committed with a service rifle. It means that the service weapon is not covered by the Arms Law, instead there is an entirely different regime compared to gun ownership regulated by the Arms Law. This is the segment we would like to enhance i.e. regulations referring to institutions or organs whose personnel use guns to be stricter and more precise,” stated Jankuloska.

The new law preventing domestic violence is set to enter into force in early 2015. However, Minister Jankuloska added, a law or regulation only in one segment of the issue is not sufficient.

“Unless law enforcement official commits a crime with elements of violence or unless there are any information suggesting the official might commit a crime with elements of violence due to certain circumstances in the private life of the individual, then the law enforcement official is subjected to disciplinary measures, such as suspension and decommissioning of personal equipment and arms until the procedure is completed,” Minister Jankuloska elaborated.

Under the new changes to the Law on Internal Affairs, law enforcement officers undergo precisely defined security check-ups.