Following the decision by the European Court of Justice regarding the Malta spring hunting issue, Alternattiva Demokratika spokesperson on sustainable development and local government Carmel Cacopardo said, “The court decision shows that the government was wrong, as AD and environmental organisations had been maintaining all along, in allowing spring hunting from 2004 to 2008. AD hopes that Government will take this as a lesson and start implementing EU environmental laws rigorously – implementation of EU environmental law is in the common interest of us all.”

AD Chairperson Prof. Arnold Cassola added, “This is a very positive decision for all of us who have our natural heritage and environment at heart. during the past years the Nationalist Government, Nationalist and Labour MEPs, Naitonalist and Labour election candidates and MPs kept giving the impression that hunting in spring could continue and government and Nationalist MEPs and Ministers kept insisting that they had obtained special concessions for this unacceptable practice to continue.”

“The European Court’s decision shows that all this talk was just misleading propaganda and a vote catching exercise. The behaviour of PN and PL politicians when it comes to sustainability issues shows that these do not really believe in the principles of sustainability. The recent declarations of Government and also of Labour spokespersons who are opposing measures to safeguard the bluefin tuna stock in the Mediterranean and save it from extinction, something which is also in the long term interest of traditional fishermen goes to show that the PN and PL are not really versed or interested in these issues and prefer to defend the short term interests of huge industrial lobbies.”

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