The Albanian government is planning to change the law on gun ownership, reducing the minimum age of gun licences from 25 years to 22 years.
The draft law has been issued for public consultation and according to the government, will aim for approximation with the legal framework of the EU. The law will provide authorization for small arms (Category B) for anyone who is required to carry a weapon for state duty, or special personal circumstances where they are exposed to danger and have the right for special protection. It will also apply to others who meet certain criteria for carrying a weapon.
Permits for carrying firearms are issued by the State Police and have a five-year term after which they must be reviewed.
The law will also allow the use of real weapons in films and video clips under the condition of a special permit.
The rate of gun deaths in the country is 1.37% of all violent fatalities, significantly higher than the US rate of 0.83%. More than 12,000 people have died as a result of gun crime in Albania, since 1991.
Furthermore, it’s believed there are at least 210,000 illegally held firearms in Albania- one illegal firearm for every 13 citizens. The government previously announced that all illegally held weapons would be surrendered by 2024 but no plan was put in place and not much has been heard on the matter since.
