On April 11th, the people have a choice - on one side there is the respect for those who practice their recreational activity within the law, and on the other hand the elimination of a right enjoyed by Malta as a Member State of the European Union.
This was the main theme of a public dialogue held by the referendum 'YES' campaign Iva, bħala Maltin u Ewropej today in Birkirkara.
The campaign's spokeswoman Dr Kathleen Grima emphasized that Malta's right to open a spring hunting season has been recognised by the people in the 2003 EU accession referendum and by the verdict of the European Court of Justice in 2009.
The speaker criticized the 'No' campaign that aimed at scaring the taxpayers that spring hunting was contributing to higher taxation. Dr Grima explained that both the application of the derogation and the enforcement during the hunting season is covered by the license and other fees paid by the hunters themselves on an annual basis.
Dr Grima added that the people are still expecting the 'No' campaign to explain how much this referendum will cost the taxpayer. The people will be paying money as a result of the extremism of the 'No' campaign that cannot come to terms with the fact that spring hunting is permissible by the European Commission.
The truth and reality is that the people are paying for the stubbornness of the local Green Political Party, Alternattiva Demokratika who are pulling the strings of the 'No' campaign to impose its agenda from outside Parliament.
Dr Grima reminded those present that subsequent to the guarantees from the 'No' campaigners that spring hunting would be retained if Malta joins the European Union, and after their signed declarations that the verdict of the European Court of Justice would be respected, now they are trying to persuade the people that the law permitting an abrogative referendum was intentionally introduced to eliminate spring hunting more than twenty years later.
Both AD's chairman and deputy have been quoted, on more than one occasion, saying, that this is just the start of more referenda.
Unfortunately the 'No' campaign cannot understand the principle that one cannot eliminate a legal and legitimate activity just because it does not like it or agree with it. The 'Yes' campaign is not going to threaten or try to scare people that a 'No' win would mean democracy would have lost. Dr Grima referred to yesterday's comments on democracy by the 'No' campaigners as 'an insult to people's intelligence'.
Dr Grima concluded her address by stressing that a 'Yes' vote is a positive choice in favour of mutual respect and tolerance, where people respect the regulated activities of others and will not seek to abolish them. A 'Yes' vote is also a vote in favour of enjoying equal rights in the European Union.