Yesterday, the Senate approved alterations to the amendment to the Act on Firearms and Ammunition and to the so-called “Superstructure Act” and subsequently the laws themselves in terms of the adopted changes.  Now the president’s signature is awaited and the amendments will take effect the fifteenth day after its publication in the Collection of Law. Let us take a look at the fundamental changes that this amendment brings.

Picture: The Senate approved alterations to the amendment to the Act on Firearms and Ammunition and to the so-called “Superstructure Act” and subsequently the laws themselves in terms of the adopted changes. | Shutterstock

Member of Parliament Jana Černochová, Chairwoman of the Defence Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament, who was a prominent fighter for the rights of gun owners, also commented on the amendment. “The Senate is still waiting to discuss a new law on the handling of arms in some cases that affect the internal order or security of the Czech Republic. Without exaggeration, this act is another milestone in building trust between legal arms holders and the state, and I believe that it will find the same support in the Senate as it did in the Chamber of Deputies,” says Černochová.

Below are the fundamental changes that the above amendment brings:

• The validity of the firearms license will continue to be the same
• A paragraph is added according to which the right to acquire, hold and carry a weapon is guaranteed by law
• The time limit for assessing whether the current legal arms holders are affected by the Directive or not is extended (from the original 13th June 2017 to the new Act’s date of entry into force)
• Legal arms holders will continue to be able to own and hold large-capacity magazines
• You will be allowed to use to this day absurdly forbidden night vision devices
• The use of firearm silencers will no longer be forbidden
• The method of disposing of weapons within the competence of the state is being simplified
• Biathletes will finally be allowed to legally carry a weapon in a visible way during the races
• The presentation of arms at exhibitions is simplified
• The transport, carrying and demonstration of arms at cultural and historical events are simplified, so that, for example, the reconstruction of historical battles can continue without any problems
• The basic technical and organizational requirements for shooting ranges and the responsibility of the person performing the shooting are added
• Does an office restrict entering its premises with a weapon, for example by door frame detectors? They will have to buy a box to store a short weapon safely
• It is possible to arrange reciprocal recognition of the right to carry an arm for personal protection purposes
• Proven prevention that works and has proven itself in the past – the so-called weapons amnesty is announced (from the effective date of the law until 31 July 2021)