Greece tightens gun laws after wave of violence in Crete

An amendment has been submitted to the Greek Parliamentsignificantly tightening gun law and, according to the authors, helps prevent dangerous incidents.

The reason was shock after the bloody events in Vorizya in Crete, which accelerated the government’s work on a new legislative framework document.

The amendment is included in the draft security law and is aimed at a general tightening of the gun ownership regime. This is the first such broad revision of the rules after six years of the current cabinet.

New measures of prosecutorial control

The document introduces for the first time the possibility of using preventive and deterrent measures at the discretion of the prosecutor, if there is an “imminent and serious danger” to life or physical integrity due to conflicts between individuals or groups, including family disputes or local communities.

Measures may include:

• prohibition on approaching certain places,
• ban on communication
• obligation to surrender weapons,
• reporting to the police station,
• providing contact information,
• participation in advisory programs.

Valid for up to six months, with the possibility of re-imposition after the initiation of a criminal case.

Tougher penalties

The amendment modifies certain provisions of Law 2168/1993, strengthening preventive nature of punishments:

• Illegal possession of hunting weapons: minimum 6 months in prison and a fine of 500 euros.
• Renewal of an expired license: exemption from liability only if documents are submitted within six months.
• Illegal transportation of weapons or explosives: minimum 6 months in prison and a fine of 1000 euros.
• Illegal use of explosives or shooting in the air: prison for at least 2 years and fines up to 50,000 euros.

Venue owners or event organizers who see indiscriminate shooting and not reporting it immediatelywill also be punished – prison up to 2 years and a fine of up to 30,000 euros.

A new criminal offense is being introduced – inciting, advertising or encouraging the illegal acquisition or use of firearms. If the incitement is directed at a minor, the penalties are increased.

Expanding areas where illegal gun ownership is considered a serious crime

It is now a felony to possess a weapon in the following places:

• police services,
• courts,
• educational institutions,
• stadiums and sports facilities,
• places of worship and public events,
• fairs,
• public transport.

Prison terms and fines increase, and recidivism leads to even stricter penalties.

Voluntary surrender of weapons

A transitional rule is being introduced: anyone who owns certain types of firearms illegally can voluntarily surrender them to the police within four months without the risk of criminal prosecution. After verification, if the weapon has not been used in crimes, it can be returned to the owner, subject to obtaining a license. The rest goes to the state.

Creation of a “Greek FBI” unit in Crete

As part of the reforms initiated after the events on the island, a new unit will be created, which the Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis describes as “a unit of the Greek FBI.” It will be staffed by 122 employees and will combat specific types of crime in Crete: murder, arms trafficking, extortion, theft, robbery, livestock conflicts and agrarian offences.

Editorial comment

The amendment to tighten the rules for handling weapons looks like a belated but inevitable reaction of the state to the long-standing culture of armament and local practices of lynching, especially in mountainous areas and Crete. The tragedy in Vorisiers only accelerated decisions that should have been made much earlier.

A positive element can be considered the emergence of real preventive measures under the control of the prosecutor, tougher penalties for illegal possession and use of weapons, as well as an attempt to put an end to “celebratory” shooting in the airwhich for decades were disguised as local traditions (including among Roma).

However, the effectiveness of the new legislation will depend on how consistently it is applied. In regions where strong family clans and closed communities operate, government intervention is often difficult, which means there remains a risk of incomplete or selective application of the law. Expanding the list of zones where illegal possession of weapons is considered serious crimeis logical, but highlights how late the state was in recognizing the scale of the problem.

The creation of a special department on the model of the “Greek FBI” in Crete has a symbolic meaning, but real results will only be achieved if there is constant political will and a stable presence of the state on the ground.

Result: a step in the right direction, but taken too late. Without systemic control, the country risks seeing the same tragedies again – with different names in the reports.

However, here it is quite possible to use the principle “Better late than never”.

Source link