Every Albanian citizen over the age of 25 can carry a weapon if meets the criteria of the new law

Picture of weapons Fair in Tirana, 2019 (archive)

  Any Albanian citizen who has reached the age of 25 may apply for a firearms permit, while those over 70 can not apply. Although such a thing may seem simple, the criteria for obtaining a permit have been strengthened, because within 2023, Albania must comply with the law on weapons with that of European Union countries.

The purpose of getting equipped with a weapon, according to Deputy Interior Minister Besford Lamallari, must be determined, and then there is a commission that reviews each request. "They are specifically for the protection of life and health, for the exercise of hunting, the sport of shooting, and for collection purposes. These four reasons, after being specified on the fill-in form, are reviewed by a special commission", Lamallari says to local media.

Lamallari says that now no one can get permission even if equipped with court decisions, as was the case in the old law.

To be equipped with firearms, according to the new draft law, the license must not have been revoked in not less than 3 years, as it constitutes a direct obstacle. The new project envisages the number of weapons that a person can carry, but also other models which are not categorized as firearms. Also, each applicant must submit a medical report regarding his or her physical and mental health.