The Hunters and Trappers Federation (FKNK) yesterday said that although BirdLife International and other organisations are celebrating a victory against spring hunting in Malta, there is no way that spring hunting will be abolished immediately.

The FKNK quoted BirdLife International representatives in Brussels, Cyprus and Malta as welcoming a decision taken by the European Union to make spring hunting illegal in Malta. But the FKNK pointed out that such procedures are started every year and that this time round it was also Malta’s turn to be involved.

The FKNK slammed said that BirfLife’s statements were aimed to scare and provoke Maltese hunters, adding that the EU’s action “does not mean that Malta has to immediately abolish the tradition of spring hunting”.