Labour MP Marlene Farrugia, in a post to her Facebook page this morning, said that she is in favour of sustainable hunting, and that Maltese hunters should have the same rights as the European hunters.

However, Marlene Farrugia said, she was against the hunting of birds that are migrating to their breeding sites.

She added that the derogation is used only as a carrot from successive Governments to keep hunters on their side. It also serves to raise taxes, in the form of fines on a select number of people. “Enforcement should be carried out in an equitable and fair manner,” the MP said.

“The derogation is also used for the hunters to be psychologically abused by the Government of the day, as happened last year, as well as to continue to raise sentiment against the hunters.”

“I want the hunters to hunt with peace of mind, during seasons when the sustainability of hunting is not threatened,” Dr Farrugia said.

She added that she didn’t want to see families burdened by the fines, and hunters with a low morale, because abuse carried out by one, means a failure for all.

“Above all,” Dr Farrugia said, “so far, no Government has shown sufficient seriousness to ensure sustainable hunting, fairly to all hunters, not just the few.”

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