OSCE Mission to Skopje and Ministry of Internal Affairs unveil newly renovated Police K9 Unit building

SKOPJE, 14 June 2023 — The OSCE Mission to Skopje unveiled a renovated administrative building for the Police Canine (K9) Unit of North Macedonia today in Hipodrom, a suburb of Skopje. The Mission helped equip the building with modern IT surveillance infrastructure and provided secure access control systems to the weapon storage facility for authorized personnel. These efforts help improve working conditions for police officers, making them better equipped to respond to emerging threats and ensure the efficient deployment of police service dogs.

“The refurbishment of this site is a tangible, effective and visible testament to what strategic co-operation and generous support can deliver. I want to use this occasion to underline the value of building networks and co-operation among all involved parties. This contributes to building the trust, which is necessary to mitigate the risk of proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons,” said Kilian Wahl, Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Oliver Spasovski, emphasized how the improved facilities will contribute to their capacity building efforts.

“The issue of the control of small arms and light weapons and ammunition is of great importance for all of us. This project contributes to strengthening the capacities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and establishing new knowledge and skills, enhancing the professionalism of employees, and thus increasing the security of citizens,” noted Spasovski.

The unveiling of the new building is part of the Mission’s ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of weapon proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW). This includes strengthening the operational capacity of North Macedonia’s Police K9 Unit, so they are better equipped to identify SALW at border crossings and within the country. Outcomes of this initiative thus far include the development of a standard operating procedure and a training manual for working with, and caring for, police dogs, as well as the donation of 14 specialty vehicles and three trailers to build a fully functional and agile K9 Unit.

This initiative was made possible through extra-budgetary project funding from Belgium, France, Germany, Norway, Slovakia, the United States, and the European Union.