Amendments to the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act, which were introduced by Emanuelis Zingeris, a member of the conservative bloc in the Seimas, were not approved during this week’s parliamentary session. The legislative proposal faced a vote of 38 in favor, 17 against, and 41 abstentions. Ultimately, the Seimas rejected the project outright and declined to return the material to the initiators for further revision.
During his presentation, Zingeris argued that the proposed changes were necessary given what he termed an “exceptional situation” for Lithuania, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The core objective of the amendments was to establish a legal framework that would permit military personnel who had completed their active service—with specific exceptions made for professional soldiers and volunteers assigned to military units—to purchase and maintain individual practical skills. The proposed legislation specifically sought to improve access to certain categories of weaponry, including automatic rifles, for these service members.
The debate highlighted a division among lawmakers regarding the scope of private firearm ownership and regulation within the national security context. Despite the stated need to equip personnel for current security challenges, the assembly could not reach a consensus, resulting in the formal rejection of the proposed amendments.
Topics: #seimas #rejected #amendments
The Seimas voted against amendments to the Firearms and Ammunition Control Act, which aimed to liberalize weapon possession. The legislative proposal, introduced by Emanuelis Zingeris of the conservat
What specific aspects of weapon ownership were proposed for liberalization in the rejected amendments?