Revamping Austria's Gun Policies Post-Graz Massacre
Austria strengthening its firearms regulations
In the wake of Austria's shocking mass shooting in Graz that left ten innocent lives in ruins, the nation is steering toward stricter gun laws. Austrians, who have relatively easy access to firearms, are set to encounter a significant shift in weapon acquisition procedures and prevention mechanisms, as announced by Chancellor Christian Stocker.
The chilling incident has prompted a series of reforms that will not only redefine the purchase process but also bolster prevention efforts to eliminate the likelihood of a repeat tragedy. One pivotal change is the increase in the minimum age for purchasing particularly hazardous weapons, which will rise from 21 to 25 years. Moreover, the so-called "cooling-off" period between the purchase of a weapon and its delivery will be extended from three days to an unprecedented four weeks.
Serving as a beacon of hope, the proposed measures will place greater importance on psychological evaluations for prospective gun buyers. To strengthen these checks, data exchange between federal authorities and weapons authorities is now on the table. As disconcerting as it may be, the shooter had passed psych Evaluations for military service but his unstable psychological disposition remained unknown to authorities, highlighting the need for stricter exchange of information. Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler poignantly stated, "Those who pose a threat should not be in possession of weapons."
For the moment, the possibility of acquiring weapons of a certain category at the age of 18 remains unchanged. This means adolescents can still purchase a shotgun at 18, and no changes are yet in store for avid hunters. However, preventive measures will surface in the form of doubling the number of school psychologists throughout the next three years, according to Stocker. "School psychology shouldn't be a rarity but the standard," declared the head of government.
Police presence in schools will also witness an increase until the conclusion of the current academic year. The chairwoman of the liberal NEOS and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, revealed her intentions to bolster the school's accessibility and disburse a compensation fund of 20 million euros for the bereaved and the school itself.
Public discourse has been ignited following the catastrophic incident, with concerns surrounding the quick and inadequate processes currently in place for issuing gun licenses. Critics, notably Graz's mayor, Elke Kahr, have gone as far as advocating for an outright ban on private weapons.
With nearly 1.5 million registered firearms in the country, the number of weapons and licensed owners having experienced growth recently, scrutiny on the necessity for tighter regulations has intensified. The country's gun policies will be reevaluated, aiming to strike a balance between upholding gun ownership rights and addressing public safety concerns.
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- Austria
- Guns
- Mass Shootings
- In response to the Graz mass shooting, a community policy overhaul is being proposed in Austria, encompassing changes in vocational training for weapons authorities, policy-and-legislation modifications, and increased public awareness through general-news dissemination.
- Austrian politics has been marked by a discourse on the necessity for stricter gun policies, as evidenced by calls for tighter regulations, bolstered psychological evaluations, and increased police presence in schools, following the recent mass shooting in Graz.
