Cyprus Parliament sets 15-day deadline for airsoft regulation legislation

The Cyprus House Legal Affairs Committee has issued a 15-day deadline for the Ministry of Justice to submit a bill regulating airsoft. This decision, announced by Committee Chair Nicos Tornaritis on Wednesday, aims to address a legal gap that has persisted since 2014. DISY MPs Prodromos Alambritis, Fotini Tsiridou, and Nikos Georgiou have proposed amending the Firearms and Non-Firearms Law to formally recognize the sport. A primary legal issue involves pellet size, as current law permits 4.5mm projectiles while airsoft equipment uses 6mm pellets, leaving players in a grey area. Federation President Argyris Argyrou stated that there are approximately 700 airsoft players in Cyprus, with 130 officially registered members. The proposed regulation seeks to define airsoft replicas and establish specific conditions for their possession and use in designated, signposted venues. Supporters noted that while paintball is already regulated, airsoft has remained without a clear framework for nearly two decades. The move is intended to align Cyprus with European Union practices and provide legal clarity for both participants and the police.