Today's Edition
VIENNA (dpa)
Austria has tightened its previously liberal gun laws in the wake of a deadly school shooting in the city of Graz more than three months ago.
The country's parliament in Vienna voted by a large majority Wednesday in favour of raising the minimum age for purchasing weapons, improving psychological tests and extending the cooling-off period between purchase and handover of the weapon from three days to four weeks.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said this was the biggest amendment to the Weapons Act in 30 years. According to his ministry, there will be exceptions for hunters and sport shooters.
The reforms are a reaction to a bloody attack in Graz in June, when a 21-year-old Austrian shot dead nine young people and a teacher at his former school before killing himself.
Under the amendment, rifles will only be purchasable from the age of 21 (previously 18) and revolvers from the age of 25 (previously 21).
According to current information, the increase in the minimum age will probably come into force in the first quarter of 2026.
The fact that the Graz gunman had been found to be mentally unstable and unfit for military service years before the offence caused controversy.
The firearms authorities were not informed of this due to data protection regulations, however. From now on, this data exchange between the armed forces and the weapons authorities will be made possible.
