The Czech Republic refuses to give in on guns. Following a directive from the European Union imposing stringent new gun controls, the Czechs filed a lawsuit last week claiming it goes too far. The directive calls for further restrictions on semi-automatic firearms and magazines, alters the current firearm licensing categories, requires additional qualifications for gun owner licensing, and imposes additional marking and registration requirements.
“Such a massive punishment of decent arms holders is unacceptable, because banning legally held weapons has no connection with the fight against terrorism,” Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said in a statement reported by Reuters. The Czech Republic has 300,000 gun permit holders.
When the European Council adopted the new legislation in April, member states were given 15 months to change their national laws to comply and 30 months to comply with the directive’s firearms registration database requirements. The Czech Republic, Luxembourg and Poland have all stated their opposition to the measure.
