Interior Minister Vit Rakusan has indicated that the future Czech law on firearm possession, scheduled for implementation in 2026, might undergo amendments, potentially transforming the current voluntary reporting system for arms and ammunition dealers into a mandatory obligation. Rakusan’s remarks came during a parliamentary debate on changes to firearm possession laws in response to the tragic shooting incident at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts on December 21, where a student killed 14 people before taking his own life.

The proposed changes extend beyond reporting obligations. Rakusan expressed his intention to introduce mandatory specialized psychological examinations for new applicants seeking firearms licenses. This move aims to enhance the vetting process for potential gun owners by ensuring that psychological fitness is a crucial component in assessing eligibility.

Under the existing law and its amended form, psychological assessments are not mandatory. The focus has traditionally been on proof of the applicant’s medical fitness, with the option for a psychological report at the discretion of the general practitioner issuing the medical report.

Vaclav Snorek, chairman of the Psychologists’ Association, and David Vanek of the Psychiatric Society voiced concerns about the feasibility and effectiveness of blanket psychological testing, citing the limited number of clinical psychologists in the Czech Republic. They suggested optimizing the existing system and providing clear guidelines to general practitioners regarding when to refer applicants for psychological examinations.

The proposed law introduces additional measures such as reducing the periodic review of gun owners’ medical fitness from ten to five years, allowing the police to order a review at any time, and granting doctors access to the central gun registry to verify patients’ firearm licenses. Doctors would be obliged to report any medical conditions affecting a patient’s capacity to the police promptly.

Furthermore, the law empowers the police to seize weapons if owners are identified as safety risks, extends the range of regulated weapons, and tightens control over certain weapon components, including large-capacity magazines and semi-finished products that could be used for illegal weapon production.

While these amendments are set to bolster firearm regulations, their implementation is scheduled for 2026 due to the planned modernization of the central arms register, which will transition from paper licenses to electronic authorizations for weapon use. As of November, 316,564 people in the Czech Republic held gun licenses, with over 1 million registered weapons.

Article by Prague Forum