Mart Helme: I wish parts of Lihula footage were available to the public
Interior Minister Mart Helme (EKRE) said on Thursday that parts of the footage taken from Lihula should be open to the public, so people could understand what can happen if a firearm ends up in the hands of someone unstable.
Helme said he has seen different recordings of what happened in Lihula on Sunday, when 32-year old Mikk opened fire, killing two and injuring three.
"I'm going to be honest - any kind of compassion is light. Words are not enough to describe how terrifying this situation is. The footage is rough. I've recommended that parts of it should be made available to the public, so people could feel just how terrible things can get when there are gaps in legislation, in terms of applying for a permit."
The Minister of the Interior thinks the problem lies in psychiatric assessments. "We should assure that if a person is psychologically unstable or addicted, they should not be allowed to handle firearms."
Helme said the Ministry of the Interior has dealt with finding gaps in legislation over the last week.
"I can confirm that the Estonian Weapon Act is much more severe than most other European countries. There are a few gaps, we're dealing with them. At the same time I want to add that there can never be a guarantee that an unstable person becomes a threat to their fellow citizens," he concluded.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste
