Georgia embraces tougher weapon laws

The Georgian Government is taking a tougher stance on the country’s currently relaxed weapon laws and making it illegal for people to buy or carry guns without special permission.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili ordered Minister of Internal Affairs Alex Tchikaidze and Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani to develop a stricter draft law on weapons at today’s Government meeting.

"We are uncompromising towards fighting crime. I want to order Mr. Chikaidze and Mrs. Tsulukiani to urgently develop an appropriate draft law that restricts all weapon-related articles as much as possible,” Garibashvili said.

He also called out to parents to be more aware of what their children were up to in the hope of preventing young adults from buying weapons without their parents’ knowledge.

"This problem does not only concern the Minister of Internal Affairs - everyone must treat it with utmost responsibility,” he said.

Justice Minister Tsulukiani responded to the PM’s request and noted the Ministry would present a new draft law to the Government next week.

After the meeting, Tsulukiani told journalists that young people needed to know that the Government was going to take a tough stance and challenge those who dared to illegally carry weapons and hurt their peers.

"Our fight against crime, which is directed towards preserving life and health, should be strict. We should not forget about human rights … but this fights is necessary and we have been assigned to take preventive measures together with the MIA,” she said.

Two days ago Georgia’s Deputy Interior Minister Levan Izoria spoke about the need to develop Georgia’s weapon laws in an interview with Georgia’s Rustavi 2.

"Today 18-year-olds can legally obtain a gun, and without any training, have the right to own such a weapon. Perhaps we need to reconsider this because in many cases murderers are in lawful possession of a weapon,” Izoria noted.

The Deputy Minister highlighted a second initiative that will soon be submitted to Government which will restrict the sale of knives and other minor weapons. He said the sale of these weapons were currently unregulated and often sold in large numbers and to underage people.

"This will soon be strictly prohibited,” he said.