The Saeima supports withdrawal of weapon permits

LATVIA – Saeima Press Service (29/09/2022)

According to Saeima Press Service on 29 September, the Saeima upheld urgent amendments to the Arms Handling Act in its second and final reading.

The law stipulates that weapons permits issued to non-citizens of Latvia, as well as persons with permanent residence permits but who are not citizens of the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or the European Free Trade Association or citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Federal Republic of Brazil, New Zealand or Ukraine, will be revoked from September 1, 2023. The restrictions also apply to the collection of firearms permits.

The amendments also prohibit the issuing of a permit to purchase, possess, carry or collect high energy firearms or air guns to persons known to the State Police or state security bodies to be disloyal to Latvia and its Constitution.

As previously stated in the explanatory memorandum to the draft Law, the Law was designed to provide national security, as the assessment of the state security authorities has identified a potential risk of the respective individuals in possession of firearms causing threats to state and public security in Latvia.

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