Parliament okays new arms law

The Parliament, in its sitting of Thursday, March 13, adopted, in the first reading, a new law on arms, ammunition, explosive matters and substances, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the Ministry of Interior, which authored the draft, the law is necessary because of the drawbacks of the existent legal and normative frame. In the bill’s author’s opinion, the legal and normative acts in force do not fully specify the principles, objectives, powers, restrictions, interdictions, rights and obligations of legal entities, resulting in the lack of efficient interaction, multiple breaches, chaotic and dispersed activity. Thus, it is necessary that the law enables the unitary and homogenous regulation, as the provisions and contents should match the reality. The bill establishes record and control measures, interdictions and restrictions in buying, carrying, transferring and using weapons, withdrawing and canceling the license to bear weapon etc. The draft regulates the operation of shooting rooms and areas, procedures of withdrawing arms and ammunitions, possessing and using weapons in private or state ownership, as well as sanctions in case they are used unduly. The authors expect the new law will curb the usage of arms not corresponding to international standards by construction, broken, counterfeited, imitating other objects, having unauthorized modifications or devices the usage of which not only represents enhanced social danger, but is inhumane, too. The draft regulates the way of organizing and unfolding fireworks, what is expected to supervise the process, which is now going chaotically, often breaching the public order and citizens’ quiet. It stipulates that using fireworks is allowed from 10.00 AM to 22.00 PM, except for 31 December and national holidays, when this term can be prolonged, in agreement with the public authorities and the local police, till 24.00, for legal entities dealing with fireworks.