Civil NGO Appeals for Celebratory Gunfire in Macedonia to Stop

Printer-friendly versionSend by email

After the incident of July 18, 2012, when three girls received gunshot wounds at a wedding party in a village near Tetovo, Civil – Centre for Freedom NGO repeated its appeal to put an end to celebratory gunfire in Macedonia before somebody gets killed.

Civil NGO demands stricter gun control policies in Macedonia

In three separate cases that took place within a single week, several persons were shot by stray bullets fired at weddings.  

“We appeal to the hosts and organizers of family reunions and celebrations to replace their guns and bullets with legal fireworks, operated by licensed and qualified people. Celebratory gunfire is illegal and is part of tradition that belongs to past centuries when there were no phones and other means of communication. It is primitive, dangerous and illegal”, states Civil – Centre for Freedom in its appeal.

Civil NGO has worked to alarm the public and the authorities on issues related to gun-control over the past 11 years. Recently, the organization implemented a public awareness campaign in which it presented the Government of Macedonia with a series of recommendations for strengthened gun control in the country.

The Civil Centre for Freedom estimates that there are between 110 and 170 thousand illegal gun owners in Macedonia, country with widespread cult to firearms, with additional 170,000 persons that have legal gun permits.

“It is the highest time for the stakeholders in Macedonian society and Government to take serious measures to overcome the cult of firearms and other gun-related issues”, says Civil Centre for Freedom, adding that it is not a job reserved just to the police and security forces and that the problem requires a series of long-term multidisciplinary measures. (Source: Civil - Centre for freedom)