Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski addressed the ceremony held at the National Theatre in Veles on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Hunting Federation of Macedonia, congratulating the Federation’s members and the generations of hunters who have built and carried forward the hunting tradition over the past eight decades.
In his address, Toshkovski referred to the changes undertaken by the Ministry of Interior in the field of firearms, emphasizing that the objective is to eliminate unnecessary administrative procedures for citizens who meet the legal requirements, while at the same time establishing more effective oversight.
“When we took office at the Ministry, we found that more than five thousand citizens met the requirements but had not been granted permits. At the same time, firearms were being obtained by people who should never have been allowed to possess them. That is a system that simultaneously punishes those who comply with the law and rewards the wrong people. Such a system is neither fair nor safe. That is why we changed it,” Toshkovski said.
The Minister noted that applications for the acquisition of firearms have been transferred to an electronic platform, while the requirement to obtain prior authorization for the purchase of ammunition has also been abolished. The Ministry of Interior maintains oversight of the quantities purchased through the central electronic system.
Referring to the new Law on Weapons, Toshkovski emphasized that it provides for the possibility of applying for multiple firearms through a single application, permits ammunition reloading, expands co-user rights, and extends the deadline for regulating inherited firearms from two to four months. A one-year period is also provided for resolving cases in which the deadline had previously been missed or an application had been rejected on that basis, as well as for firearms that need to be legalized, re-registered or voluntarily surrendered.
Toshkovski stressed that administrative simplification must be accompanied by stricter and more modern oversight.
“Every simplification for a law-abiding hunter goes hand in hand with stricter control. The new law introduces electronic tracking of every firearm from the factory to the end user. It introduces an obligation for firearms to be stored securely and in an appropriate place. And for the first time, it regulates firearms and components manufactured using 3D printers and CNC machines – a threat that did not even exist twenty years ago,” Toshkovski said.
He summarized the objective of the changes by stating that legally owned firearms should be in the hands of responsible people, while illegal firearms have no place on the streets – “trust for those who follow the rules, zero tolerance for those who break them.”
The Minister also highlighted the importance of cooperation with the Hunting Federation and hunting associations, calling for this cooperation to be continuous and practical, particularly in identifying any potential issues arising from the implementation of the new legal provisions.
At the conclusion of his address, Toshkovski congratulated the members of the Hunting Federation on their 80th anniversary.
“Hunters know this country better than anyone – every mountain, every valley, every trail. Perhaps that is why they also know best how valuable it is. Let us love Macedonia not only through words, but through actions, responsibility and mutual respect,” Minister Toshkovski concluded.
