BirdLife Malta today announced that it will be pursuing legal action against the Government, after the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) “unlawfully amended legislation to give itself greater powers.”

At a press conference held outside WBRU offices in Casa Leoni, Sta Venera, BirdLife Malta also called for the resignation of Head of Unit Sergei Golovkin.

“A legal notice published last Friday, shows that WBRU officials have amended a piece of law in order to grant themselves unprecedented powers of enforcement. Legislation dictates that any change of law such as this should be opened to consultation; however this process was not followed and the law has already been enacted,” BLM said.

Speaking today, Steve Micklewright, Executive Director of BirdLife Malta, said, “since its inception two years ago, WBRU has eased legislation in favour of hunters and trappers, decriminalised the use of bird callers, re-opened a finch trapping season, allowed for increases in trapping licences, eased hunting and trapping licence examinations as well as rendered obsolete an afternoon curfew protecting birds of prey.”

He added, “it is frankly ridiculous that a government department that appears to have a mandate to give hunters and trappers more and more privileges, now has a hand in enforcing the laws that allow those privileges.”

“This latest attempt by WBRU to legislate its own ascent to power without any form of consultation is a reflection of our concerns voiced two years ago over this unit becoming a deregulation unit. We call on the Head of Unit to take responsibility over these actions and offer his resignation to the Minister.”

“It is ironic that while Minister Leo Brincat calls for an open consultation on the MEPA demerger plans, the Wild Birds Regulation Unit within the same Ministry steamrolls over the Ornis Committee without any form of consultation,” continued Steve Micklewright.

BLM stated that, !WBRU recently demonstrated its inability to impartially enforce wild bird regulations after its officers inspected an illegal consignment of wild finches in Gozo. Following the inspection carried out WBRU officers, finches bearing fake rings were not confiscated and were allowed to remain on sale.”

“The unit has now advertised for the recruitment of Inspectors who would be responsible for enforcement and subsequently proceeded to amend a legal notice to grant itself enforcement powers, to date only applicable to inspectors within MEPA. MEPA are the competent authority in charge of environmental enforcement under the Environment and Development Planning Act.”

BLM pointed out that the legal notice, “enacted without any form of consultation prior to an Ornis committee meeting called by Head of WBRU Sergei Golovkin, also introduces other measures such as a taxidermy allowance of 30 birds per hunter without any need for licensing.”

BirdLife Malta is arguing that WBRU’s resources on inspection should be left in the hands of enforcement authorities such as MEPA and the police.

Steve Micklewright added, “impartial and effective enforcement is only possible when there is a complete separation between those legislating and those enforcing, and where there is no political interference. To date the WBRU has simply showed it is incapable of both responsibilities with its current staff contingent.”

Concluding the press conference, Steve Micklewright said, “we call on the Minister for Environment to take matters in hand, holding WBRU responsible for its obvious incompetence, and to revoke the legal notice.”

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