After the shooting rampage in Graz that left eleven dead at a Graz school, the coalition parties are now discussing how and where hurdles to gun ownership can be raised. “There are already political discussions underway,” the Federal Chancellery told APA on Friday upon inquiry. However, they did not wish to comment on specific content for the time being. In the meantime, over 60,000 people have signed a petition by the #aufstehn initiative calling for a ban on private firearms.

The perpetrator had legally possessed the weapons with which he killed people at the school. In March, he had undergone a psychological test at a civilian authority and was thus able to legally obtain a pistol. The armed forces, on the other hand, had determined the Graz resident’s psychological instability.

Why he was nevertheless allowed to keep the weapons was also a topic at the Security Council on Thursday evening. All parties agree that measures must follow in principle; even the FPÖ does not want to close itself off to “sensible improvements.” Security spokesperson Gernot Darmann, for example, suggested raising the minimum age for the purchase of Category C weapons, which is currently 18 years.

“Confidential” Military Service Records

However, the Freedom Party also expressed incomprehension at the fact that no military service records are used to obtain a gun ownership card. These records are classified as “confidential” and may not be passed on without the consent of the person concerned. Instead, one must undergo a psychological test at a civilian authority.

According to the Chancellery, in addition to the general criteria for gun ownership, the use of military service records is also to be discussed politically. Talks between ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS are already underway, it was said. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) also called before the Interior Ministers’ Council in Luxembourg for access to data from military service authorities.

Call for a Central Register Since 2007

Former police officer, negotiation specialist, and ÖVP state parliament member Hamedl reminded on Friday that as early as September 2007, the Styrian state parliament had submitted a motion to the federal government demanding an amendment to the Weapons Act. This concerned the central administration of data related to reliability checks, in particular the commissioned psychological assessments.

The establishment of a central file concerning the completion of psychological weapons tests would, especially with regard to the work of experts, bring more transparency and would undoubtedly have positive effects on the efficient enforcement of the Weapons Act, Hamedl and his parliamentary colleague Peter Rieser had argued at the time. In his role as a negotiator in hostage situations and suicide attempts, Hamedl had repeatedly helped to save lives. He also initiated the “Men’s Emergency Hotline” in Styria, which is intended to provide men with a point of contact to prevent, among other things, outbreaks of violence.

Over 60,000 Signatures for a Private Firearms Ban

Since Wednesday, more than 60,000 people have signed the online appeal by the #aufstehn initiative for an immediate ban on firearms for private individuals. The demand is directed at Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) and the federal government. “Austria has one of the loosest gun laws in Europe,” criticizes Philine Dressler, campaign manager at #aufstehn. Officially, more than 1.5 million firearms are registered in private ownership in Austria, and the number is on the rise.