File picture. Photo Lehtikuva.
The government is planning to bring an amendment in the Firearms Act for strictly monitoring the issuance of licences and the use of arms in hunting, official sources said.
Sources said that the law will also extend the age limit of procuring arms to 20 years of age for the private users. Proposal for amendment to the law is expected to be placed in the parliament soon, sources added.
According to the proposed amendment, the licences for handguns would be issued first time for a period of five years on trial basis and the authority will take final decision for issuance of a permanent licence after reviewing the use during the trial period.
File picture. Photo - AFP -Lehtikuva.
The holders need to show the activities and the usefulness of the forest gun, rifle, airgun and other handguns in every five years for continuation of the validity of the licence, said sources.
The provision would also be applicable for the permanent licence holders. As per the existing law, the validity of the licence exists until the death of the licence holder.
The authority will also examine the aptitude to use firearms before issuing the licences. In this case, the licence seekers need certificate from shooting experts after showing performance in shooting club.
The police may also ask the applicants to procure health certificates from physicians proving fitness for issuance of the licence, said sources.
The age limit for getting permission for handguns would be extended to 20 years from the existing 18 years, although licences for rifle and shotgun could be issued for the people of lower ages.
The firearm acts was amended last time in June, 2011.
According to the Finnish Firearms Act, firearm means a tool with which bullets, pellets or other projectiles or incapacitating substances can be fired with the help of powder gas pressure, explosion pressure of primer mass or of other explosion pressure so that it may cause danger to people.
