Change in gun legislation unnecessary, stakeholders insist in murder aftermath

Stakeholders do not want any changes in laws related to gun ownership despite a murder case which revealed shortcomings in psychiatric screening.

Lucas Micallef who heads the hunting organisation FKNK disagreed with suggestions that gun laws should be amended in comments to MaltaToday. The same sentiment was expressed by Stephen Petroni, president of the Association of Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters, who however, called for more enforcement.

They were reacting to court testimony that revealed how Noel Azzopardi, who stands accused of murdering another man on New Year’s Day, was able to keep renewing his shotgun licence despite undergoing psychiatric treatment. Azzopardi, who is not a member of FKNK, is being charged with the murder of 27-year-old Eric Borg. He denied all charges against him, and the compilation of evidence is ongoing.

The testimony raised eyebrows over the regulatory regime for gun ownership but Micallef, who leads Malta’s largest hunter association, was unfazed.

Gun ownership is scrutinised by two different processes - one applicable to hunting guns, and another to weapons used in target shooting and other related sports.

Micallef acknowledged the fact that should a gun owner have psychiatric problems, they are more likely to be flagged when first applying for a gun licence, rather than when renewing it.

Despite this, he believes Malta has some of the safest and most bureaucratic gun laws in the EU, and that more legislation is not necessary.

“How many murders have we seen where knives were used? You don’t hear people calling for checks and balances on knife sales,” he said.

Detailing the process to obtain a gun licence for hunting, Micallef said this normally starts when someone interested in hunting turns 18 and enrols in a hunting association.

Once an interested party becomes a member of an association, they are then required to obtain a medical certificate from a doctor, showing that they are fit to carry and use a firearm. What follows is a trip to the district police station where the applicant’s details are then passed on to the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, which falls under the remit of the Gozo Ministry.

Micallef said the applicant is then required to undergo a course followed by an exam, both of which involve gun handling and hunting legislation. Should the applicant pass, they are then required to obtain insurance from their association, before finally being permitted to become a lawful hunter.

‘Authorities need to enforce what’s written in the law’

Stephen Petroni, the president of the Association of Maltese Arms Collectors and Shooters (AMACS), told this newspaper that with regards to gun ownership for target shooting, a lack of enforcement on gun associations has long raised concerns among responsible enthusiasts.

Petroni said the process to acquire a gun licence for target shooting is like that of acquiring a hunting licence in the initial stages. A prospective member would need to be a member of a shooting association before applying for a licence at a police station.

Here he noted that the associations have a duty to properly examine their prospective members while presenting a medical certificate.

The applicant would then need to sit for a test in front of the Weapons Board. Should the applicant pass, the Police Commissioner then issues the licence.

Petroni noted that Malta’s laws also give the Police Commissioner the right to monitor gun owners, further adding that the laws that govern guns for sport are in line with the latest EU regulations. “They have no flaw,” he said.

Despite this, Petroni noted that much is left to be desired when it comes to enforcement, explaining that exams administered by the respective associations are not standardised.

“There needs to be some sort of vetting to ensure certain standards are met,” he said.

“The laws are there. The tools (for safety) are there. What we need are authorities who enforce what’s written in the law,” he insisted.

MaltaToday also asked the Home Affairs Ministry whether government was considering any changes to gun laws in the wake of the murder case, but no reply was received.