09/07/2026
What happens when critical evidence must be secured in the very first moments of a crime scene investigation?
The European Union and UNDP with SEESAC, today handed over two fully equipped mobile crime scene investigation laboratories, valued at EUR 64,000, to the Montenegro's Ministry of Interior.
The new laboratories will enable forensic teams to examine crime scenes and collect evidence more efficiently, strengthening Montenegro’s capacity to investigate fi****ms-related crime in line with EU standards.
The handover ceremony was attended by H.E. Stephan Klement, EU Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Ms. Dragana Kažanegra Stanišić, State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior of Montenegro, and Ms. Ekaterina Paniklova, UNDP Resident Representative in Montenegro.
Progress in the rule of law, security, and effective arms control forms an integral part of the EU accession process, and as Montenegro advances toward membership, the emphasis is increasingly shifting from the adoption of legislation to its effective implementation. Strengthening forensic capacities is an important part of translating these commitments into measurable results.
The two mobile laboratories enable investigators to examine crime scenes, collect and preserve evidence, and transport it safely while maintaining chain of custody. Equipped with specialized forensic tools, photography and lighting systems, independent power supplies, and metal detectors, they strengthen criminal investigations and efforts to combat fi****ms trafficking and organized crime.
The handover builds on more than two decades of UNDP’s support through SEESAC to authorities in the region, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and capacities to more effectively combat the illicit possession, trafficking and misuse of fi****ms.
In 2025, more than 432 firearm-related incidents were recorded in Montenegro, affecting 108 people, including 25 fatalities, 27 injuries, and 35 cases involving threats with fi****ms. These findings from UNDP SEESAC’s, EU-funded, Armed Violence Monitoring Platform highlight the scale of firearm-related violence and the sustained operational demands placed on law enforc
