By Dean Weingarten | Contributing writer
Several countries in eastern Europe have instituted shall issue concealed carry permit systems.
Believe it or not, self-defense is making a comeback.
Before World War One (WWI), people commonly carried concealed weapons through most of Europe. England had no gun control to speak of. Neither did France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, or the Scandinavian countries. Some countries required people to have weapons. Switzerland and Montenegro required firearms be kept at home or be owned as part of the defense plan for the nation. The Scandinavian countries had a long tradition of militia service. Finland, although under Russian rule, had a strong tradition of civilian militia service.
The kingdom of Montenegro was famous for its massive revolvers. In 1910, the king of Montenegro (Nikola I) issued a requirement that every male subject had to own a Gasser system revolver.
Image of top break and solid frame Montenegro revolvers. Courtesy Rock Island Auction.
Both top break and solid frame Gasser type Montenegrin revolvers satisfied the requirement of owning a revolver in 1910. They were chambered in the 11.3 x 36mmR cartridge, an effective .44 caliber. It was more powerful than the .45 Colt. It fired a 310 grain bullet at about 1000 fps. It was usually carried openly. It is a large revolver to carry concealed.
Strict control of firearms, especially handguns, was instituted in nearly all of Europe between WWI and WWII, and certainly after WWII.
Germany had virtually no gun control until 1919. Registration of firearms was instituted in France in 1936-38. Italian strict gun laws were put in place by the Fascists in 1931. These laws were not about crime or safety. They were to disarm the political opposition. After WWII, enforcement was especially strict in the East European satellite countries of the Soviet Union, where armed resistance continued as late as 1956.
With the fall of the Berlin wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union, several Eastern European countries have initiated shall issue concealed carry permit systems. All of the European permit systems appear to require concealed carry. There may be exceptions for security guards or while hunting. All three Baltic states—Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia—have forms of shall issue permits for concealed carry. The laws have been changing, and there is a language barrier, so each state must be evaluated locally. The Czech Republic (Czechia), Slovakia, and Georgia have also instituted shall issue permit systems for concealed carry. All of the states mentioned appear to have issued carry permits for about 2-4% of the adult population.
Ukraine has very little in formal law about citizen firearm ownership, carry, and self-defense. The war has pushed the government to work toward a formalized system of permitted carry and ownership. A recent poll showed 59% of the population favored a shall issue permit for purposes of self-defense. Bulgaria is reported to have a permit system which is “shall issue” in practice. Both countries appear to approach a formal “shall issue” system.
There are nine European countries which have varying types of may issue concealed carry systems. They are Austria, Armenia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Moldavia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Bosnia and Herzegovina is reported to have firearms ownership for about 30% of the population, with concealed carry permits nearly as common as ownership! Montenegro is reported to have about 13% of the population with concealed carry permits. These are in systems reported to be may issue, and there are local variations. The Balkan countries went through a nasty war not long ago. Citizens in the Balkans are showing a strong inclination to remain armed.
Each country has its own customs and procedures. There will be particular quirks inside each system. Some require tests to be taken in the local language. Some may allow an interpreter. Most require a medical evaluation and a psychological evaluation. There are varying fees associated with the permits. The amount of time required to go through the permitting process varies considerably.
