Poland Sets Record for Number of Firearm Licenses Issued in a Year

Last year in Poland, a record was set for the number of firearm ownership permits issued. By the end of December 2023, Polish citizens possessed 843.8 thousand units of firearms. This is 83.6 thousand more than the previous year and a significant increase of 185.4 thousand compared to December 2021, as reported by Rzeczpospolita.

Since 2016, the number of firearms owned by Polish citizens has doubled, with last year being a record-breaking year for the issuance of new permits. Law enforcement agencies issued 40,900 permits, exceeding the number issued in 2022 when the full-scale war in Ukraine began. Previously, only a few thousand new permits were issued annually in Poland.

The increase in the number of firearm permits issued reflects a sharp rise in interest in firearms. Local analysts note that this was facilitated by the introduction of legislation easing access to private firearms for representatives of law enforcement agencies. However, they still attribute the main reason to the fear of war.

"I bought myself a pistol, even with black powder. It's a matter of responsibility for my family. I live in a region where Russians can reach in half an hour," explained deputy Yaroslav Sachayko, elaborating on the surge in firearm purchases by Poles.

He also sees the reasons for the increased interest in firearms in the constant state of tension caused by the war, especially noticeable in eastern Poland.

"Poles act on the premise of relying primarily on themselves. For example, in my Zamoysk voivodeship, people have stocks of food," notes Yaroslav Sachayko.

Lawyer Andrzej Turchyn, author of a blog popularizing firearms, believes that the reasons are more complex.

"In any normal society, there is a group that wants access to firearms. In Poland, due to the rules that existed for decades until 2011, this was impossible. In simpler terms, Polish society is catching up with this interest, and the war only accelerates this process," he explains.

Changes in legislation in 2011 led to a sharp increase in the number of firearm permits for collection purposes – in 2023, 17,000 were issued. And it's not about antique revolvers displayed in shop windows. Based on this permit, one can purchase firearms from any period and of any type, except for automatic ones.

Following in popularity in 2023 were permits for firearms for sports purposes (12,400 issued) and personal defense (6,200). In the latter category, only about 100 permits were issued in previous years.