News | Sunday, 25 April 2010

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‘Brussels is watching us’, BirdLife warns

BirdLife has rebutted FKNK’s’ claims that it was ‘normal procedure’ that Malta would have until November 2011 to submit its spring hunting derogation report and that the Commission would take action only after that.
BirdLife said that since Malta’s past derogations on spring hunting were found to be unlawful, its case remains open and the Commission can request information on the derogation from Malta as it deems fit.
“The Commission can also take the country back to the European Court of Justice within a short period of time,” BirdLife said.
The ECJ had already dismissed the claim put forward by the government that the Commission’s action in 2007 was inadmissible because Malta had not yet sent the report for that year to the EC.
BirdLife said FKNK representatives already voted against the proposed three-week duration at the last meeting of the Ornis Committee, because they had demanded a longer season.
The FKNK is now demanding a three-week season.
“The only members of the Ornis Committee who voted in favour of the duration finalwere the government-appointed chairman, MEPA’s representative and a former assistant to the Resources Minister. The rest either abstained or voted against,” Temuge said.
“It is irresponsible of the government to continue raising hopes among the hunting community, even suggesting a three-week period next year, when it is clear that spring hunting in Malta is a thing of the past. Instead, the government should focus on strong law enforcement to stop the continued killing of migrating birds,” Temuge said.

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