The Lithuanian parliament Seimas on Thursday allowed volunteer soldiers and members of the Riflemen’s Union, a civilian paramilitary organisation, to keep automatic guns at home and to use weapons or special means during patrols with police and border guards.
The Seimas passed amendments to the Law on the Control of Arms and Ammunition to allow members of the professional military service, volunteer soldiers, and members of the Riflemen’s Union to acquire and keep at home personal category A weapons and ammunition.
The legislation passed with 119 votes in favour, none against, and five abstentions.
A permit for category A weapons for the professional and volunteer soldiers, as well as the so-called “riflemen”, will be initially issued for two years and will then have to be renewed by the head of the territorial police office every five years.
“We are [...] giving the right to three categories of people [...] to have automatic weapons in their homes, to own, acquire, train, and defend the homeland,” said parliament member Jonas Jarutis, the initiator of the amendment.
The current legislation allows volunteer soldiers and members of the Riflemen’s Union to purchase and keep semi-automatic category B and C weapons at home. Category A weapons are prohibited in civilian circulation.
