A study conducted by IBRiS on behalf of PAP shows that almost half of Poles, exactly 47.6 percent respondents do not see the need to liberalize access to firearms. The Friday debate accompanying the presentation of the report was attended by, among others: Marcin Duma, president of IBRiS, Marcin Możdżonek, president of the Supreme Hunting Council, and Łukasz Michnik, spokesman of the Left parliamentary club.
Marcin Możdżonek pointed out that The culture of owning guns is still developing in Poland. He recalled that since the first mass disarmament of Poles in 1938, weapons permits have never been as easily available as they are today.. However, he emphasized that he did not support the American model, where access to weapons is much more liberal. According to Możdżonek, obtaining a weapons permit in Poland is a relatively simple procedure, but he cannot imagine purchasing a weapon without appropriate controls.
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In turn, Marcin Duma noticed that Poles' interest in owning weapons is not increasing, despite the war in neighboring Ukraine. In his opinion, most citizens prefer to entrust their security to professional services, such as the army or the police. The results of the IBRiS study confirm that over half of Poles do not feel the need to have weapons, and 39.9 percent respondents fear that easier access could reduce their sense of security.
The spokesman for the Left club, Łukasz Michnik, emphasized that One of the key elements of security in Poland is the fact that society is largely disarmed. He pointed out that the country is characterized by one of the lowest rates of gun crime in Europe, which, in his opinion, proves the validity of current regulations. Michnik agreed with the opinion of the majority of respondents who believe that a larger number of people possessing weapons could lead to an increase in the number of accidents and escalation of conflicts.
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In the context of gun rights, the issue of introducing mandatory periodic examinations has sparked a heated discussion. The report indicates that 71.1 percent respondents strongly support such an idea, and another 21.6 percent is rather in favour. 6% were against this solution. respondents. In particular, Poles support mandatory psychological tests for hunters – as many as 76.3 percent. respondents consider them necessary.
However, this idea is opposed by representatives of the hunting and sports communities. Marcin Możdżonek argued that the current system of verifying gun owners, including, among others, community interviews conducted by district officers, works effectively. Rafał Dębowski from the Polish Sports Shooting Association added that people with sports or hunting licenses are regularly checked by their organizations, which allows for quick response in the event of health or mental problems. In his opinion, the introduction of periodic tests would only be an unnecessary formality, generating high costs for associations and unions.
Still, Michnik noted that periodic inspections are standard in many countries with more restrictive gun laws. According to the Left's spokesman, their introduction in Poland could contribute to maintaining a high level of security in the country.
Read also: Poles are buying weapons en masse. A year ago a historical record was broken
Currently, in Poland, periodic medical and psychological examinations are obligatory only for persons possessing weapons for personal protection or property protection purposes. However, the MPs of Poland 2050 recently submitted a draft amendment to the Act on Weapons and Ammunition, which would extend this obligation to hunters and owners of sports and training weapons. An earlier bill on this matter was rejected by the Sejm in January.
