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full screenLight a candle for the victims of the shooting in Cetinje. Photo: Risto Bozovic/AP/TT
Montenegro was shocked by the New Year’s Day shooting in which a man opened fire in a restaurant in the town of Cetinje. Twelve people were killed, and now the government is promising tougher gun laws.
– The great availability of weapons is frightening and cannot be defended by the fact that it is tradition, says Prime Minister Milojko Spajic at a press conference after a meeting with the country’s security council.
According to a survey, there are around 245,000 illegal weapons in the country, which has only 620,000 inhabitants, and Spajic says that the punishment for possession of illegal weapons should be greatly increased. But first, a two-month general weapons amnesty, where everyone can hand in weapons without risking punishment, must be announced.
In addition, all gun licenses will be reviewed and license holders will have to undergo new health and safety checks.
– We will show no mercy, says Spajic.
The perpetrator in Cetinje, who shot himself while being chased by the police, owned several illegal weapons, several of which were seized by the authorities three years ago.