When scrutinizing a country’s legal system, we turn to statutory laws and regulations. This is also true for gun laws in Bulgaria. The result is the following discussion: Currently, only licensed individuals are allowed to own or carry a firearm in Bulgaria. The restrictions on the possession and use of firearms are found in the Bulgarian Weapons and Ammunition Act (in Bulgarian: Закон за контрол над експлозивните вещества, оръжията и боеприпасите – Zakon za kontrol nad eksplozivnite veshestva, orujiyata i boepripasite).
Article 6 of the Weapons and Ammunition Act lists the various models of firearms that may be possessed by individuals. This includes pistols (for self-defence or hunting), revolvers (for self-defence), rifles/shotguns (for hunting), and certain other types of weapons equipped with silencers. It is advisable to consult the list of restrictions in the Act to be sure what constitutes a permitted model of firearm. When purchasing an individual firearm, it is necessary to obtain from the relevant Regional Directorate of Ministry of the Interior (RDMoI) a permit for acquisition (Article 19, paragraph 1). A further requirement is to apply for a license for carrying and use (Article 20). Thus, a foreigner wanting to obtain and use a firearm in Bulgaria would first need to meet the initial background checks as outlined in the above-cited Articles and be approved for license, before making a purchase. It may also be worth noting that Article 30, paragraph 4 of the Weapons and Ammunition Act states that “the change of purpose of firearms and their components is prohibited”. This means that reconditioning a permitted weapon into an illegal one is definitely against the law. Reconditioning a normally permitted weapon could also run afoul of this law.
Such restrictions and verifications in the purchase for individual use of firearms are a result of the analysis and study of gun legislation laws which have been written and enforced around the globe. The scientific method can be applied to the explanation of gun laws in America and none the less, Bulgaria. Gun laws in America undoubtedly have similarities and differences with individual countries in Europe. One such difference is that gun restrictions in individual states in America permit different categories and types of firearms to be purchased, carried and used by licensed individuals. We can see that in the case of Canada, they mirror restrictions in the United States of America and apply similar case law jurisprudence found in their own courts when regulating legal firearms. The same can be said for Australia.
While many countries follow the strict scenario of Bulgaria, other countries have looser restrictions on gun possession and use. It is important to remember that gun laws in Bulgaria are not as strict as those in Iraq, Syria, Libya or Mexico, where gun use, possession and the proliferation of weapons are far more commonplace. However, Bulgaria is not the only country in Europe which enforce strict gun laws. For example, the prohibition of possession or carrying firearms in Portugal is actually stricter than in Bulgaria. Portugal prohibits all citizens, with very few exceptions, from importing, possessing or carrying firearms.
International treaties and conventions also guide and influence the nature of gun laws in Bulgaria. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons of 1980 for example, has improved the control of and restricted the use of weapons that have indiscriminate effects and might cause unnecessary suffering. Alongside the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions 1977 and 2005, this treaty has made provisions in preventing use of excessive force at war. Article 3 of the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Excessively Injurious or Have Indiscriminate Effects (Geneva, September 1980), clearly states the need to protect civilian populations from the effects of hostilities. As civilians are civilians, and do not face the conscription of soldiers, it is legally necessary to ensure guns and weapons remain out of their reach or influence.
When it comes to domestic legislation, articles 1-7 in Chapter II of Bulgaria’s Weapons and Ammunition Act indeed reflect the need to support international humanitarian law instruments. The dangerousness of random and/or non-discriminatory gun use could have a similar effect on the general population, if gun ownership is not regulated properly. It is critical to understand the overall impact of this law on the safety of the general population. It is therefore, necessary to conclude that these laws aim to protect against any possible threat or danger posed to society. Research shows that the safety of one’s nation actually relies on one’s society. This means that the general population must be kept safe from dangerous individuals, and not simply be permitted to possess a firearm to defend themselves or their families, without taking that precise danger into full account.
Another article of concern is Article 35 which deals with the criminal liability of individuals for their actions concerning the illegal manufacture, possession and trade of weapons. When examining the negative social phenomena that result from the illegal possession of guns, to personal safety, public health, education, youth and employment aspects, we can indeed conclude that the criminal liability is possibly effective. The penalty for illegal possession of a weapon or ammunition without an authorization issued by the respective control authority ranges from 1 to 2 years imprisonment and a fine between 1,000 to 5,000 levs. Furthermore, although national courts can impose a lighter sentence on the perpetrators, such attempts are unlikely to succeed, considering the public interest in deterring public disorder and ensuring general safety.
If any changes or amendments are proposed to the existing law, awareness must be given to the approval of the general public, the wider duress of protecting itself, and the impact such changes may have on the administration of justice. This means that even if some small loophole may be temporarily exploited, the eventual outcome will sharply rise to the general public’s attention, thereby eliminating the chances of rejecting the law as a whole. Only then can Bulgaria’s gun laws truly reflect the seriousness of the issue. Such explanation and discussion would absolutely highlight the so-called scientific method applied to the understanding of gun laws in Bulgaria.
For more information on international gun laws, you can visit Wikipedia.