MIGRANTS in Austria will be banned from purchasing firearms after a new legal amendment was passed on Thursday.
The amendment to Austria’s Weapons Act, approved by the country’s Internal Committee of the National Council, will prohibit migrants and asylum seekers living in the country illegally from accessing firearms.
According to the bill, the ban will also extend to legal migrants and refugees until they have held residency in the country for five years.
A statement from the Austrian government said: “The access of refugees and immigrants to arms is made more difficult. In the future, foreigners living in
Austria are only allowed to acquire or purchase a weapon if they have a permanent right of residence in the EU.”
The changes, which will come into force from March next year, state any illegal migrant or asylum seeker who attempts to purchase firearms from authorised gun sellers could face up to a year in prison.
And the current sentence of one year imprisonment for migrants and asylum seekers in possession of firearms is also set to double - to two years.
The bill also liberalises the provision of firearms to Austria’s police forces, who will be allowed to purchase small arms up to 9mm without applying for a private license.
This comes days before Austria’s general election on Sunday – which will see two candidates from opposite ends of the political spectrum battle to win the presidency.
The contest has been long-standing – Greens leader Alexander Van der Bellen and far-right Freedom Party leader Norbert Hofer have been campaigning to lead the country for almost a year.
Van der Bellen was briefly announced winner in May – but the result was overturned after furious protest from the FPO, who claimed widespread irregularities made the outcome invalid.
A win for Norbert Hofer will be seen as a continuation of the rise of far-right nationalism currently sweeping European countries – which commentators have claimed threatens to bring the EU to ruin.
Austria is one of the few countries in Europe in which citizens are lawfully permitted to purchase firearms for the purpose of self-defence.
The amendment to Austria’s Weapons Act, approved by the country’s Internal Committee of the National Council, will prohibit migrants and asylum seekers living in the country illegally from accessing firearms.
According to the bill, the ban will also extend to legal migrants and refugees until they have held residency in the country for five years.
A statement from the Austrian government said: “The access of refugees and immigrants to arms is made more difficult. In the future, foreigners living in
Austria are only allowed to acquire or purchase a weapon if they have a permanent right of residence in the EU.”
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| Austrian migrants will be prohibited from purchasing firearms under the new law. |
The changes, which will come into force from March next year, state any illegal migrant or asylum seeker who attempts to purchase firearms from authorised gun sellers could face up to a year in prison.
And the current sentence of one year imprisonment for migrants and asylum seekers in possession of firearms is also set to double - to two years.
The bill also liberalises the provision of firearms to Austria’s police forces, who will be allowed to purchase small arms up to 9mm without applying for a private license.
 |
| Norbert Hofer |
This comes days before Austria’s general election on Sunday – which will see two candidates from opposite ends of the political spectrum battle to win the presidency.
The contest has been long-standing – Greens leader Alexander Van der Bellen and far-right Freedom Party leader Norbert Hofer have been campaigning to lead the country for almost a year.
 |
| Alexander Van der Bellen |
Van der Bellen was briefly announced winner in May – but the result was overturned after furious protest from the FPO, who claimed widespread irregularities made the outcome invalid.
A win for Norbert Hofer will be seen as a continuation of the rise of far-right nationalism currently sweeping European countries – which commentators have claimed threatens to bring the EU to ruin.
Austria is one of the few countries in Europe in which citizens are lawfully permitted to purchase firearms for the purpose of self-defence.
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