The Plenary of the House of Representatives approved the "Firearms and Non-Firearms (Amendment) Law of 2025", which makes changes to the procedure for granting, renewing and revoking licenses to possess and transport firearms or ammunition of Categories B1 and B5.
The new law aims to rationalize and strengthen the licensing framework, with the ultimate aim of ensuring public order and security. Among other things, the applicant's obligation to justify the reason for requesting a permit is established, while the Chief of Police is given the opportunity to request an opinion from any competent person before deciding on its granting.
The Chief of Police now becomes the competent body both for granting and not granting the permit, following the relevant approval of the Council of Ministers, while he has the possibility to determine its validity period, which will not exceed one year. At the same time, a license renewal procedure is established and the Chief is empowered to suspend or revoke it for reasons of public safety, without requiring justification.
In addition, it is provided that weapons and ammunition will be granted by the Chief of Police only to persons who have successfully completed special training, failing which the license will be revoked. The new law also provides for the obligation to return the weapon in cases of expiration, non-renewal, suspension or revocation of the license.
The law was passed with 36 votes in favor and one against the individual Socialist MP Kostis Efstathiou.
Justifying his vote, Mr. Efstathiou said that as a matter of principle he disagrees with the accumulation of superpowers in a single body.
