Another referendum to ban spring hunting is not being ruled out by BirdLife Malta, CEO Mark Sultana said today.
Addressing the media outside Castille, Mr Sultana said that he would rather the government takes the decision, but if needs be Birdlife will call for another referendum hoping for a different result because a sway in opinion is clearly evident.
This press conference was called after a moratorium on spring hunting was called by the FKNK with the intention to prove that statistics released by the European Commission attributing the lacking numbers in turtle doves in Europe cannot be attributed to Maltese hunting. Birdlife took reservation in particular to news that the government will be discussing the proposal in parliament.
Mr Sultana said the government did not listen to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Birdlife when the union showed scientific facts as evidence of imminent turtle dove extinction prior to the referendum. The government instead chose to listen to the FKNK who, according to Mr Sultana, is rife with contradiction.
In a letter to the Prime Minister this morning, Birdlife insisted that “it is unacceptable for the government to ignore advice given to them by Birdlife Malta and the IUCN, as well as a direct warning of EU Commissioner for the Environment, Karmenu Vella to apply this moratorium, and it is only after speaking to hunters’ unions that they are paying attention.”
This is clear proof, said Mr Sultana, that the government has always been given wrong advice by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit (WBRU) and the hunters’ unions. It is because of these bad pieces of advice that Malta is once again at risk of facing infringement proceedings of the EU directive regarding birds. As such, the government is only taking notice now to avoid these proceedings.
The President of Birdlife Malta, Darryl Grima, said that the NGO has always been right about banning hunting. “The government should have taken a position as soon as scientific facts came out,” said Mr Grima.
He also added that the government taking notice only now is an insult to all of those who voted in favour of maintaining a hunting season after being misinformed. He concluded passionately saying, “We will explore every possible angle to stop hunting.”
74.8% of the population turned up to vote at the hunting referendum which resulted in a marginal win for the 'Yes' camp at 51%, winning by 2,200 votes. That being said, initial reactions from the public showed that a number had regretted voting yes even a mere week after the result was published. This change of heart is what Birdlife is banking on if another referendum is called.