EVEN THOUGH President Ivan Gašparovič did not sign a recent amendment to the Act on Firearms and Ammunition, the law will become effective on November 1.
Parliament re-approved the vetoed amendment on October 22 with 130 votes in support (out of a possible maximum of 150), without accepting the critical remarks which the president submitted on September 28.
The president stated that the amendment would permit unregistered firearms to become the property of the state without appropriate compensation to the original owners.
The amendment authorises an amnesty period of seven months during which citizens will be able to hand over unregistered firearms or ammunition to the police without facing criminal prosecution.