Currently there are one million firearms circulating in Greece. Of course, the owners of these firearms are not all hunters, as registered hunters amount to no more than 200,000. So why has the state permitted gun ownership and why have so many people purchased them? Some believe it is because the state has made it very simple for people to own firearms, while others argue that it is because of the recent surge in crime.
"The upsurge in crime and the fear that people may be faced with a Kalashnikov makes them resort to the solution of the shotgun. Statistics show that in recent years the shotgun market has been booming, while the number of registered hunters has remained the same," a source from the Citizen Protection ministry told the newsite protothema.gr.
Registered weapons do not include the 3,500 licenses issued to citizens in security, let alone the thousands of illegal weapons arriving in Greece from Albania and other European countries.
Police Officers stress that the existence of so many weapons in the hands of untrained people, who are faced with fear and a sudden upsurge in crime, create a dangerous combination. "Think about what could happen if each mini-market or kiosk owner, hid a weapon under their counter in order to protect themselves from a possible robbery."
So how easy is it for someone to buy a shotgun and have it home legally without being a hunter or practicing target shooting? The process is very simple said the report in protothema.gr.
Buying the weapon and obtaining a license is apparently a very simple process. "Whoever wants to buy a rifle or a double barreled shot gun goes to the police station in their area, fills in a simple declaration, receives an opinion from a doctor that they do not have any psychological problems, buys the gun that can be declared to the police, which in return checks on his police record," one officer said.
The increase in crime in recent months has also caused an explosion in applications for licenses. About 3,500 people have managed to obtain a license from the police to own and carry a pistol or a revolver
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