MaltaToday asks prominent personalities and opinion formers to comment on the campaign themes
Tolga Temuge
BirdLife Malta
The European Union has been one of the leading powers in the world on the environmental front for many years. Thanks to some of the members of the European Parliament, who had a clear vision on policies to restore ecosystems and reduce the EU’s dependence on a carbon economy, the Union currently has some of the best nature conservation directives in the world. However despite this, the EU will comprehensively fail to meet its own target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010. One of the main reasons for this failure is that other EU policies are working counter to the nature conservation directives, with the result that they are accelerating the loss. This is simply because certain politicians remain oblivious to the fact that many economic problems are closely linked to the environment and vice versa. It is therefore imperative that the new members of the European Parliament represent a different culture and vision from the past and work towards a greater sustainability and resource efficiency.
The Maltese MEPs have an obvious responsibility in sharing this vision and working towards protecting and restoring Europe’s common natural heritage, which is clearly linked to the sustainable use of resources that in turn affects our economies. BirdLife expects the Maltese MEPs not only to build on the EU nature conservation policies such as the Natura 2000 network and the Birds and Habitats Directives but also to strengthen them.
Yet, it is very clear that some of the candidates for the European Union still lack this modern vision and continue to make promises to certain interest groups with the hope of gaining a few votes. This “village politics” approach is one of the biggest obstacles to progress in the EU where EU citizens seek strong leadership and positive change on the issue of environmental protection.
BirdLife calls on the members of the European Parliament to adopt a target for 2020 that goes beyond halting the loss of biodiversity and actively seeks to promote the recovery of habitats and species in the EU. Furthermore the MEPs should press for a strong climate change agreement at the Copenhagen climate summit at the end of this year and also ensure that the EU’s 2020 target of 20% renewable energy is reached without harming the environment upon which the EU’s citizens and economy depend. The Maltese MEPs also should play a leading role in the completion of marine protected areas in order to protect marine wildlife.
For the new European Parliament to overcome the current environmental and economic crisis, the EU citizens need representatives who share a new vision and are not afraid of breaking the status quo that has been causing the current crisis – a crisis that has in a way been imposed on us by narrow minded and short sighted politicians. The solution ultimately lies with the EU citizens who not only have the power to elect the new Parliament but who can also make sure that their elected representatives are held accountable for their failures in bringing about this change.
Tolga Temuge is BirdLife Malta Executive Director
Joe Perici Calascione
Federation of Hunters and Trappers (FKNK)
As a player and stakeholder in the local environment field and as representative organ of over 10% of the adult Maltese and Gozitan population the Federation for Hunting & Conservation – Malta (FKNK) feels that the elected MEPs have an important role to play that goes beyond partisan politics. Whilst political principles will dictate certain approaches to various issues, there has to be a common goal that places the Maltese citizen’s interest above everything else. This corroborates the fact that in each and every sector we have to feel at par with our European counterparts. Wherever the Union applies two weights, two measures on any single issue, our MEPs have to be there without reservation and have to be prepared to fight tooth and nail for our rights.
On the backcloth of the above, each elected MEP has to harbour the core principles that make us Maltese and strive to safeguard what is engrained in our being and defend, at all quarters, our socio-cultural and traditional passions and way of life that have been passed onto us by our forefathers. It is these practices that identify us from the rest of the world and these practices that have moulded us accordingly. Our MEPs should agree to the principle of Union Yes but Uniformity Never.
Based on the Manifesto published by our European counterpart Federation FACE, elected MEPs can make a difference if they:
• declare support for hunting and conservation;
• support legislation based on the best available scientific evidence and not on emotion and perception;
• liaise and consult with concerned stakeholders;
• consider that regulations should be adapted to national and local situations, particularly for the countryside;
• actively join the Sustainable Hunting Intergroup.
The MEP is expected to delve into the various committees that directly interest his co-nationals.
The MEP is expected to listen to all the complaints made by local individuals or organisations and should ensure that he assists in explaining how the application of Union regulations and directives can affect one’s life.
The MEP should never be alienated from the daily lives of his electorate and throughout his term, should hold regular meetings locally involving various sectors of society and not just become obvious on the eve of elections.
The MEP should put his country’s interest first and should never betray such trust of the electorate and should give such interest his unreserved support despite maybe going beyond his party’s politics.
Finally the FKNK wishes to point out that in any and every scenario, our MEPs have to fight to ensure that we are not treated as 2nd Class European Citizens and that we obtain our equal rights whenever these are jeopardized unjustly.
Our MEPs have to ensure that any decision they take has to be based on solid legal facts and scientific data and leave out any emotion or perception.
Joe Perici Calascione is public relations officer of the FKNK
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However despite this, the EU will comprehensively fail to meet its own target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010. One of the main reasons for this failure is that other EU policies are working counter to the nature conservation directives, with the result that they are accelerating the loss. This is simply because certain politicians remain oblivious to the fact that many economic problems are closely linked to the environment and vice versa. It is therefore imperative that the new members of the European Parliament represent a different culture and vision from the past and work towards a greater sustainability and resource efficiency. 
Whilst political principles will dictate certain approaches to various issues, there has to be a common goal that places the Maltese citizen’s interest above everything else. This corroborates the fact that in each and every sector we have to feel at par with our European counterparts. Wherever the Union applies two weights, two measures on any single issue, our MEPs have to be there without reservation and have to be prepared to fight tooth and nail for our rights.
