The Environment Ministry continues to avoid questions regarding this year’s spring hunting season, despite a number of acts of vandalism on the property of BirdLife Malta in the past week.
This contrasts with last year’s decision, taken in the wake of a massacre of protected species, to cut short the spring season.
In the latest episode of vandalism yesterday morning, two BirdLife billboards featuring Maltese personalities appealing to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition Leader Alfred Sant to stop illegal spring hunting were reported vandalised.
The vandalised billboards, which form part of the latest action in BirdLife Malta’s campaign seeing the participation of 13 personalities, are on the Coast Road and on the road from Targa Gap to Rabat.
Graffiti were also sprayed onto the Rabat billboard, including the words “Drogi Drug Dealerrs [sic.]” and the poster was torn slightly in one place. On the other hand, the Coast Road billboard was torn so profusely that in fact, only two of the faces of the fours individuals depicted were still visible.
A spokesperson for Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment (MRAE) told MaltaToday: “The minister condemns every act of vandalism, whoever it is coming from, and expects the police to take all the necessary action to prosecute the perpetrators.
However, asked whether the Ministry was going to stop spring hunting this year after this series of vandal acts which bear the fingerprints of the hunting lobby, the MRAE spokesperson was diplomatic in his reply.
“What happened last year has nothing to do with this. Last year spring hunting was stopped because of the illegal hunting, this year there is still no decision on whether to open the season or not. The Ornis Committee has yet to take a decision on that,” the Ministry spokesperson said.
MaltaToday has learnt that a meeting of the Ornis Committee has been scheduled for next Wednesday to discuss the dates for this year’s spring hunting season.
It was Pullicino who kicked the ball back into the Ornis Committee’s court after the committee last Tuesday week decided it would not issue any recommendation to the minister over opening the spring hunting season, which runs from 10 April to 22 May, due to a pending European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling on the matter.
The European Commission has referred Malta to the ECJ for illegally opening the spring season every year for the last four years.
On his part, speaking during a press conference at Buskett yesterday afternoon, the place where the spate of vandal acts against BirdLife started a week ago, Opposition leader Alfred Sant condemned the vandal acts committed during the past week.
“It is clear that every act of vandalism, irrespective of whoever commits it and where it is committed, should be condemned without any reservations. Therefore this vandal act should be condemned as well,” he said in response to a question by MaltaToday about the matter.
Asked by this newspaper whether he felt comfortable to go abroad on a hunting trip with a prominent member of the hunters’ lobby in Malta which has its fingerprints on these vandal acts, Labour deputy leader for Party Affairs Michael Falzon said he had no regrets about this.
“First of all, I condemn this kind of behaviour – although I am in a quandary whether I should reply to your question or not.
“I think I have the right to go abroad as any other Maltese citizen. The important thing is that I do not violate the law and observe the law as I have always done. If you have any evidence to the contrary, I invite you to do what you have to do,” Falzon challenged the MaltaToday journalist.
Tolga Temuge, Executive Director of BirdLife Malta, yesterday morning reiterated the environmental NGO’s call for a proper investigation of these vandal acts.
“We once again urge the political parties to take a strong stand against these illegal activities that our organisation has long been subject to.
“To date, not a single person has been brought to justice and this is sending a very dangerous message. BirdLife is committed to its work for the conservation of our natural habitat and will not be silenced by these criminal acts or threats,” Temuge insisted.

No condemnation from FKNK
On his part, Federation for Hunting, Trapping and Conservation (FKNK) secretary-general Lino Farrugia failed to condemn this spate of vandalism attacks on property belonging to BirdLife and its activists over the past week. He instead preferred to stick to his declared boycott to MaltaToday.
Asked by this newspaper for his reaction about the matter yesterday morning, Farrugia said curtly: “No, no, you know that I do not speak to MaltaToday…”
“Why don’t you want to speak to us?”
“You know that we do not speak to you, you need not call…”
“Are you therefore going to continue to boycott us, Mr Farrugia?”
“Yes, until now MaltaToday is boycotted. You know quite well why...”
“In spite of the fact that there was vandalism on BirdLife property today (Saturday), you don’t condemn these acts of vandalism?”
“I DO NOT want to give a comment to MaltaToday,” he said emphatically and hung up.

A week of shame
On Friday, vandals struck at Wied Ghollieqa Nature Reserve, destroying information panels used to teach children the importance of valleys, how to recognise trees and animals in the valley and the importance of riparian habitat.
In a statement, Nature Trust, the environmental NGO which manages the reserve, condemned the vandalism. “Such acts only serve to show that there are still persons who like acting against civil society and the rights of everyone to enjoy nature areas.”
It said the incident has been reported to the police. It also called for rangers in such protected and managed sites and more surveillance.
Last Sunday, three vehicles belonging to BirdLife volunteers were found ablaze in Buskett by the police. The cars were destroyed but no one was hurt and neither did the surrounding environment sustain any damage.
The police said that the three cars, a Ford Fusion, a Honda Odyssey and a Pajero Jnr, were on fire at about 6.20 am. The police did not specify who the cars belonged to or how they caught fire.
Temuge, who was on the scene of the incident, said two of the torched cars belonged to BirdLife council members and the third, bearing a diplomatic number plate, belonged to an American, who started voluntary work a few months ago.
Temuge said the three volunteers were carrying out scientific ringing studies in Buskett. They arrived on site at about 5.45 am and headed off to a nearby field to start their work.
“Just a few minutes later they heard a bang. Within 15 minutes, fire engines and the police arrived on the scene,” Temuge said, adding that he was informed by the police that it was probably a criminal act.
He said BirdLife had sent a letter to the Police Commissioner, copied to the Office of the Prime Minister and to Minister for Rural Affairs and the Environment George Pullicino, 17 days ago, informing them about “messages with an increasingly threatening tone” posted on the website of the Hunters, Trappers and Conservationists Federation (FKNK).