The Federation for Hunting and Conservation, Malta (FKNK) refers to the announcement made by the Prime Minister regarding the matter of the opening of the Spring Hunting season 2009 and formally registers and reiterates its firm disagreement with this decision. It is clear to the FKNK that the Prime Minister has once again on this issue failed to exercise the powers of decision that as a determined leader of a Member State, equal to all other Member States in the European Union, he is expected to exercise.

Prime Minister Gonzi said that since the Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ) imposed a ban on the Spring Hunting of 2008 as a preliminary decision in the court case that the European Commission filed against Malta, and since nothing has changed since then, he was not in a position to open the season for this year also. 2008 was the first time in Malta’s history that Traditional Spring Hunting did not take place.

In the first instance FKNK would like to express its disappointment at the fact that the Prime Minister chose to announce his decision in this regard – a decision which he was certainly aware would have a negative impact on thousands of Maltese families – on a television programme rather than by addressing the hunters through their representatives. A written request for a meeting sent by the FKNK on the 26th of February 2009 has not been replied to.

In the second instance, with reference to the reasons brought forward for this decision, FKNK stands to correct Dr Gonzi on all counts in the light of the following considerations:-

– The Interim Measure imposed on the 24th of April 2008 was only applicable for the Spring of 2008, because the ECJ as specifically stated in its decision, at the time, was not in possession of Malta’s derogation report for 2007 and so was not able to take a qualified decision;

– The applicable and qualifying circumstances have changed considerably since then:

– The European Commission is now in possession of the report concerning the 2007 ‘carnet de chasse’ documents;

– Based on the same 2007 ‘carnet de chasse’ returns the FKNK has submitted a Comparative Study with solid evidence proving that autumn can never be considered a satisfactory solution alternative to Spring hunting, as is being contested without a single shred of solid proof by the Commission. FKNK submits that this evidence is clear and unequivocal and is such as to fully justify the application of the relative derogation permitted by the Birds Directive.

– The FKNK is so convinced of this non-satisfactory solution that it even offered to give-up most of the autumn season in return for the socio-cultural tradition of Spring hunting in a transmission to Members of Parliament, including to the Prime Minister in person last Monday;

– The Malta Ornis Committee after having been presented with the Comparative Study report refused to be yet again used as a smoke-screen this time around;

– Deputy Prime Minister, Tonio Borg has gone on record to state that if the Malta Government does not agree with the Commission it will not hesitate to break EU regulations. The FKNK is not requesting anyone to break any regulations. It is requesting the applications of the regulations in their totality, i.e. inclusive of the State’s right to the relative derogation.

Finally the FKNK would like to draw Government’s attention to the official commitments made to Maltese nationals prior EU Membership, and repeats that no form of propaganda will discourage the FKNK from seeking to ensure justice and equal human rights for the Maltese nationals, hunters and trappers.

The FKNK calls upon the Government once again to honour its commitments and to furthermore ensure that the proceedings before the ECJ are pursued and contested in the most determined manner, particularly given the circumstances detailed above and the clear legal justification of the application of the relative derogation to Malta and Gozo.

Lino Farrugia Secretary – FKNK

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