An official of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit’s Specialist Enforcement Branch found his private car vandalised on Monday 15 September near Ta’ Pinu church in Gozo, upon returning from field monitoring duties at a bird sanctuary. While Gozo police are investigating the incident, it is suspected that the act of vandalism is related to the official’s enforcement duties.

Condemning the incident, Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes said that through legislative and regulatory measures enacted over the past few months to ensure zero-tolerance policy towards bird-related crime, the government drastically narrowed the window of criminal opportunity for would-be poachers and law-breakers.

As a result, the past few months have seen a reduction in the number of incidents of illegal targeting of protected birds.

“This is why there are strong reasons to believe that the despicable cowardly act of vandalism is an attempt at harassing and putting pressure upon a public official in exercise of his duties. Such attempts at intimidation will not be tolerated and anyone found guilty of harassing a public official will face full brunt of the law”, Roderick Galdes said.