BirdLife Malta today has showed its disdain for MEP Dr John Attard Montaldo’s recent signing of an FKNK Petition (1), and termed it a cheap election stunt aimed at appeasing the hunting lobby in Malta.

The FKNK petition entitled “Equal, Human & Citizen Rights in the EU” makes no reference to issues regarding hunting but states that the signatories subscribe “to the fundamental principle that all Maltese Nationals have the right to expect…the same human and citizen rights as those enjoyed by other EU citizens in other EU Member States…” (2)

Since there is no reference to spring hunting or trapping in the FKNK petition, Dr Montaldo should explain what he is appealing for with the hunters to the EU, BirdLife asked.

“As a Member of the European Parliament in Brussels for several years, Dr. Montaldo should know that Maltese nationals are being treated the same as other EU citizens. If his reference by signing the FKNK petition is to spring hunting then Dr. Montaldo should be made aware that EU law forbids spring hunting and trapping. Furthermore hunting is not a human right where as the equal application of the law is,” said Joseph Mangion, President of BirdLife Malta.

The conservation of wild birds is regulated in the EU by the Birds Directive. The Directive does not allow hunting in spring and also trapping of wild birds at any time of the year. Member states can apply derogations for specific reasons such as air safety or damage to crops etc. and each member state needs to justify the derogation and prove that it can be carried out inline with the criteria set by the EU law.

“Derogations are not God given rights and all derogations are assessed individually by the Commission. FKNK’s hysteria to continue spring hunting and trapping which caused enormous damage to Malta’s wild life, under an unjustified derogation should not be taken seriously by any self respecting politician in this country,” continued Mangion.

BirdLife stated that with the highest number of hunters and trappers per sq km in Europe and with one of the longest bird hunting seasons in the EU Maltese hunters have for long been the privileged hunters of Europe. The conservation organization drew attention to the fact that many hunters are also being allowed to occupy public land for their sole privilege as well as building illegal structures without any development permit. Surely these were not privileges enjoyed by their fellow hunters in the EU.

“Like hunters in other EU states, the FKNK administration will hopefully come to terms with the fact that hunting in Spring damages bird populations and accept to enjoy the same rights as their fellow enthusiasts in Europe, not more,” concluded Mangion.

1) On 13th March FKNK stated that MEP Dr John Attard Montaldo signed an FKNK Petition entitled ‘Equal, Human & Citizen Rights in the EU,’ during his address to hunters and trappers, last Sunday evening in Victoria, Gozo,.

2) The FKNK petition makes no reference to hunting or trapping but states that the signatory subscribes “to the fundamental principle that all Maltese Nationals have the right to expect and should therefore be unconditionally granted and benefit from the same human and citizen rights as those enjoyed by other EU citizens in other EU Member States, on an equal level with all such other citizens.” The petition can be seen here: http://www.huntinginmalta.org.mt/uploads/24/524/Petition_2_Poster.pdf

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