>Thanks for the link. I did not know that.
>
>The beginning of the wiki article is interesting:
>
>The gun policy in Switzerland is unique in Europe. The personal weapon of militia personnel is kept at home as part of the military obligations.

Actually (yeh, you sit corrected) in the SFRY there was the same doctrine of "armed people", and there were civil defense units practically anywhere. You didn't get weapons to take home, but got the uniform etc (didn't matter whether you were in the regular reserve or the civil defense units) and the weapons were in the storage somewhere in the local community center. The weaponry would usually include M-72 (the local version of Kalashnikov)... which then explains how come everybody was armed to start the wars in 1991-92.

Plus, you were entitled to a personal weapon, but it was regulated, you actually had to have it technically checked (IOW, you left a ballistic sample to the police ;), but... the custom of firing into the sky during major celebrations (weddings, New Year) only got worse over the years. What I remember was occasional discharge of a dozen bullets here and there. Last reports I heard mention there's more bullets shot in new year's night than in a real battle.