Greece parliament debates whether priests should be allowed to carry firearms
The issue of whether Orthodox clergy in Greece should be allowed to possess firearms has been brought before parliament, after New Democracy MP Andreas Nikolakopoulos questioned the legal ban preventing priests from obtaining hunting shotgun licenses.
Nikolakopoulos, who represents Ilia, submitted a parliamentary question to the Ministry of Citizen Protection, asking the government to clarify the legal basis for the restriction and whether the ban could be lifted.
He argued that hunting remains part of social life and local traditions in rural areas and questioned why clergy should not be able to participate in hunting activities under the same legal conditions as other citizens.
The MP also asked the government to assess the restriction in light of constitutional principles concerning equality before the law and the free development of personality.
Ministry says ban on firearms remains in force
Responding to the parliamentary question, Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection Ioannis Lampropoulos said there had been no change to the existing rules.
The ministry cited a 1990 Council of State ruling, numbered 2569/1990, as well as relevant documents concerning the Church, stating that members of the clergy are prohibited from possessing or using firearms regardless of their rank.
The restriction also applies to firearms used for hunting, meaning priests cannot obtain or use hunting weapons under the current framework.
Ban based on broader legal and church framework
The ministry emphasized that the prohibition is not based solely on Greece’s firearms legislation.
According to the response, the rules are also connected to the constitutional framework governing relations between the Greek state and the Eastern Orthodox Church, church regulations and relevant judicial decisions.
The government therefore indicated that the existing prohibition on firearms for clergy remains in effect.
The parliamentary debate has also drawn attention because Nikolakopoulos himself served as Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection until spring 2025 before raising the issue in parliament.
