1 comment.Plan to challenge ECJ ruling on finch trapping is “absurd” – BirdLife
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The plan to challenge the European Court of Justice ruling on finch trapping is “absurd,” BirdLife Malta said today.
It argued that “using the excuse of scientific research to create a smokescreen for more birds to be trapped is unacceptable.”
BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana, in a statement said, “it is, to say the least, absurd and irresponsible for the Government to take this route. In the past it has weakened and amended laws purely to create a smokescreen for the illegal killing of birds. Now it wants to create a smokescreen for tens of thousands of songbirds to be trapped by creatively classifying it as a scientific study.”
He added that, “in the past 10 years we have seen various changes in laws to appease the hunting and trapping lobby: from the removal of curfews during raptor migration to allowing hunting at Majjistral Park.”
“There is also opening rabbit hunting seasons without any restrictions to weakening taxidermy laws that simply allowed further abuse of the Conservation of Wild Birds Regulations.” Sultana said that “this is a record that only a hunter Minister could be proud of while it shames the rest of the country.”
BirdLife Malta reiterated that it is a “massive mistake to hand over the conservation of wild birds to a hunter that has now become the Minister for Gozo. This is not only disrespectful to the Minister for Environment but also without any legal strength, and hence the reason why BirdLife Malta is challenging this decision in the law courts.”
BirdLife went on to say that “in a country where enforcement leaves a lot to be desired or even non-existent at times, we are certain that there will be rampant abuse of this system as is the case with all other instances when the Government changed laws purely to appease a lobby that gives nothing to the country but takes a lot from the rest of its citizens.”
It stressed that “birds are there to be enjoyed by all and not by a privileged group that struggles to understand the beauty of wildlife.”
BirdLife Malta concluded by saying it will be asking a lot of questions during next week’s ORNIS Committee meeting and will do all within its power to stop this absurdity.
Photo by BirdLife Malta: Linnet in a cage
when will we ever learn , when will we ever learn .