A few days after two mass shootings took place in Serbia, where 17 people were killed, the Minister of Interior asked citizens to hand over all unregistered guns, otherwise they will face imprisonment.
All individuals who surrender illegally owned guns, grenades, ammunition and other weapons between May 8th and June 8th will not face any criminal charges, Serbia’s Interior Ministry said in a statement. Those who disobey will face criminal prosecution and could be sentenced to many years in prison, government officials warned.
Funerals were held during the weekend for the victims of a school shooting in Belgrade and the mass shooting in a rural part of the Serbian capital city. The attacks, where 21 persons were harmed, have caused panic and fear in the Balkan country.
After the incidents, authorities promised to tighten gun laws and increase security in schools and across the country.
Serbia is loaded with guns and tops the list of European countries with the highest number of registered guns per capita. The country has not fully come to terms with its role in the 1990’s wars. War criminals are largely regarded as heroes, and minority groups continue to face harassment and sometimes physical violence.
