BirdLife Malta reply below – Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri, in response to a BirdLife Malta statement on Saturday said that “the incitement of Malta continues,” after the NGO quoted a letter received from the European Commission on Malta’s finch-trapping derogation.

The Minister, in a statement on Facebook said that “a few weeks ago I met with European Commissioner Jessika Roswall to continue discussing long-term solutions for research on the seven species of songbirds in our country after we made the necessary changes to comply with the judgement of the European Court of Justice.”

He stressed that “first and foremost, only the Court of Justice of the European Union can confirm or not that the research derogation is against European Union law. Nor does it emerge from the letter from its staff to Birdlife Malta, that the Commission said that the derogation is against EU law, but said that it is still evaluating it.”

Regarding the derogation for “scientific research,” Camilleri argued that “the fact that no one can dispute is that the European Court of Justice acknowledged the precision of Malta’s legislative framework but found that the declaration lacked ultimate justification.”

He added that “therefore, Malta took note of this judgement, which does not exclude the possibility of applying the derogation, and, in response, the 2024 declaration was refined to include detailed reasoning, and this in full alignment with the judgement.”

The Gozo Minister, who is also responsible for hunting, continued by saying that “it seems that there were those who resented that, as I have always done, I continued to convey the Government’s firm position in favour of our enthusiasts. Nothing will discourage us. As we have always done as a Government, we are committed to remaining the shield of all hobbies, including this sector, and we remain focused on ensuring a sustainable future.”

He concluded by saying that, “we must continue to do this by building on the dialogue with the European Commission and in full compliance with European law.”

In a reaction to Minister Clint Camilleri statement, BirdLife Malta’s Chief Executive, Mark Sultana, said:

“Honourable Clint Camilleri, what do you mean by ‘the incitement against Malta continues.’ We love Malta much more than you think. We don’t do anything for a vote or for congratulations. You are trying to play the narrative that we are against our country. When it comes to the protection of our country’s birds, we have certainly done much more than you have done. We are an NGO and I do not know why you feel that you want to encourage trappers and hunters and tell them that you are not going to give up.

Sultana went on to say, “as an NGO, we have very little power to stop you. You bulldoze over every suggestion we have made. You have never paid attention. Even when we asked that Maltese schools have a zone around them so that hunting does not take place in them.”

Sultana stated, “we suggest it because we love Malta. Because in Malta there are not only hunters here.”

“But you are right about one thing,” said Sultana, “only the European Court can judge whether a derogation is illegal or not. Not us, or the European Commission.”

Sultana insisted that, “all I did on behalf of BirdLife Malta was to ask the European Commission for an explanation regarding this ridiculous derogation for trapping for research.”

“So you think I am inciting against Malta? Citizens and civil society have the right and obligation to communicate with the European Union.”

File photo: MGOZ

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