On Thursday, parliamentarians supported in the second reading the amendments developed by the opposition National Union (NA) to the Law on Arms Circulation, which provides for establishing a ban on issuing weapon permits to Latvian citizens who are citizens of Russia or Belarus at the same time, as well as creating a legal basis for canceling already issued permits.
In NA’s opinion, the current situation does not correspond to the interests of national security and public safety, as it allows that persons who simultaneously hold the citizenship of Russia or Belarus can legally possess firearms in Latvia. NA notes that threats to national security in this area are assessed based on the opinions and risk assessments of security authorities.
At the same time NO points out that it should also be taken into account that a similar restrictive regulation regarding citizens of Latvia who are simultaneously citizens of Russia or Belarus is already stipulated in the Law on the State Defense Service, which was adopted for the protection of national security interests and the prevention of potential threats.
