Government's representatives hold press conference on Draft Law on weapons and ammunition

Regarding the Draft Law on Weapons and Ammunition, which will be adopted by the Government of Montenegro later today, a press conference was held featuring Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić, Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović and Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović.

Deputy Prime Minister Aleksa Bečić emphasised that this law comes as a result of more than a year of intensive work, during which public consultations were conducted and alignment with European standards and the European Commission was achieved. He particularly stressed that the essence of this legal solution lies in the systemic improvement of weapons control through four key directions.

The first direction relates to significantly tightening the conditions for obtaining permits. In this regard, it is proposed to raise the minimum age from 18 to 21, shorten the validity period of weapons permits from 10 to 5 years, and expand the list of criminal and misdemeanor offenses that constitute an obstacle to owning weapons. Furthermore, the right to possess weapons will be limited exclusively to the Montenegrin citizens and foreigners with permanent residence, no longer including those with temporary residence, DPM Bečić stated.

He added that the second direction of reform concerns the centralisation of procedures aimed at preventing abuse, both in administrative and health-related aspects. Instead of the current decision-making model in local branches, decisions on applications will be made by a central unit at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior, while applications may still be submitted at 25 branches across the country, ensuring uniform implementation of the law and a higher level of control. In terms of centralising medical assessments, a commission-based approach is introduced, whereby certificates of medical fitness will be issued exclusively by three public health institutions in three regional centers-health centers in Kotor, Podgorica, and Budva-based on reports from commissions composed of doctors of various specialties, thereby further strengthening the reliability and credibility of the process.

He added that the third direction relates to improving records through digitalisation and interconnection of institutions. Firstly, between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health, thus enabling continuous monitoring of all relevant changes, including the newly established legal possibility of extraordinary medical checks. Secondly, the electronic integration of all competent institutions in tracking the lifecycle of weapons-from production or import, through ownership and trade, to destruction or deactivation.

"The fourth direction of reform relates to strengthening control mechanisms. It is envisaged that the Ministry of the Interior will issue weapons permits exclusively with the mandatory consent of the Police Administration, while the regulatory framework regarding weapon storage and the possibility of extraordinary inspections of citizens by the police is further improved. At the same time, the law introduces significantly stricter penalties for all forms of regulatory violations," Mr Bečić concluded.

Minister of the Interior Danilo Šaranović emphasised that this law is not merely a normative alignment, but a substantive reform of the weapons control system in Montenegro, coming after more than a decade without significant changes in this area. He noted that the law responds to clear public expectations for more decisive and rigorous measures aimed at increasing security.

"I would especially like to point out something that was very important to all of us-that citizens were part of this process. The legislative initiative known as Marko and Mašan's Law did not go unanswered. All requests from this initiative were seriously considered and incorporated into the law-from stricter conditions to more efficient procedures for confiscating weapons and shorter permit validity periods, while those elements that cannot be part of the law will be included in by-laws that must be adopted after this law enters into force."

The Interior Minister stressed that the law clearly establishes the principle that violence and weapons cannot go together, and that special focus has been placed on preventing weapons from falling into the hands of individuals who pose a security risk. At the same time, he highlighted that the law makes a clear distinction between responsible owners and those who misuse weapons, ensuring legal certainty alongside a higher level of responsibility.

Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović pointed to concrete results achieved by the police in combating illegal weapons and increasing security. He stated that in the previous period, including 2024 and 2025, as well as the first four months of 2026, around 3,000 weapons, more than 120,000 rounds of ammunition and about 600 explosive devices were seized, thus confirming the intensity of efforts to combat crime.

He also highlighted the importance of the "Browning" project, through which abuses in the system of issuing weapons permits were uncovered and prosecuted, further confirming the need for reforms introduced by the new law, particularly in terms of centralisation and stricter controls.