BRATISLAVA, March 15, (WEBNOVINY) – The controversial rule, which should be introduced by the amendment to the law on guns and ammunition, might be changed so that every gun license holder should take a mandatory psychological test at least once in life. The amendment is the reaction of the Interior Ministry to the 2010 massacre in the Bratislava district of Devinska Nova Ves, where a gunman killed seven people and wounded 15 others before he was shot dead by police. The original draft introduced psychological tests for every gun license holder every five years. The validity of the license would be reduced from ten to five years. However, the draft was met with discontent by several coalition deputies, and the discussion on it was postponed for the March parliamentary session.
Today, Minister Lipsic only speaks of one psychological test. “To allow us to eliminate at least those most problematic types, who pose a risk to the society,” explained Lipsic, according to whom we should have the ambition to eliminate the psychically unstable individuals from gun license possession. Even though Lipsic considers regular tests to be a better solution, he admits it would be better to have every gun license applicant take one psychological test, than to pass none at all.
The Parliamentary Committee for Defense and Security informally debated the draft amendment on Tuesday. SDKU-DS MP Martin Pado thinks that there should be a difference in the obligation to pass a psychological test between the people who “fire a rifle once or twice a year” and those who are permitted to carry shotguns. Former interior minister Robert Kalinak (SMER-SD) would agree with psychological tests in case they were for free, yet he considers forcing hunters to pay 80 euro every year for a test to be harassment. The committee members should informally discuss the draft with representatives of the Interior Ministry on Monday.
SITA