An official of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit’s Specialist Enforcement Branch found his private car vandalised yesterday, where it was parked near to Ta’ Pinu Church in Gozo, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Animal Rights has said. He had been on field monitoring duties at a nearby bird sanctuary.

The Secretariat said that while the Gozo police are investigating the incident, it is suspected to be related to official’s enforcement duties.

Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes, condemned the incident, saying that through legislative and regulatory measures enacted over the past few months to ensure a “zero-tolerance policy towards bird-related crime, the Government has drastically narrowed the window of criminal opportunity for would-be poachers and law-breakers.”

As a result, he said, the past few months saw a reduction in the number of incidents of illegal targeting of protected birds.

“This is why there are strong reasons to believe that the despicable cowardly act of vandalism is an attempt at harassing and putting pressure upon a public official in exercise of his duties.”

Roderick Galdes concluded by saying, “such attempts at intimidation will not be tolerated and anyone found guilty of harassing a public official will face full brunt of the law.”

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