ORNIS is just Robert Abela’s political tool, says BirdLife
BirdLife Malta today condemned the ORNIS Committee following yesterday’s decisions which clearly show that the ORNIS Committee is nothing but a political tool in the hands of the Government and nothing more.
Above all, the Committee ignored the legal principles of the European directives as well as all scientific data and arguments, BirdLife said in a statement.
BirdLife Malta has stated that it will take the following measures:
• It will take all necessary action to inform the European Commission of the details of how Prime Minister Robert Abela, on the eve of a general election, did his utmost to disregard the country’s obligations with regard to with the natural environment and hunting in our country. We will also urge the Commission to speed up the infringement proceedings against Malta regarding spring hunting.
• It will communicate with its international partner organizations to provide them with all the support they need to put more pressure on Government at the international level and to give BirdLife Malta more support.
• It is evaluating all legal actions that can be taken to challenge Government decisions in local Courts.
• It will work to reopen the discussion on an abrogation hunting referendum immediately.
Yesterday’s ORNIS Committee meeting was supposed to discuss not only the spring hunting season for pigeons but also changes in the taxidermy law.
But, surprisingly, just a few hours before the meeting, the Government published a Legal Notice practically granting amnesty to those who own or received stuffed birds. This clearly shows that the ORNIS Committee is simply a political tool, and a complete farce. As a result, when the Committee had to discuss this point, BirdLife Malta withdrew from the meeting.
Yesterday it was clear that the decisions taken by this Committee are only political decisions that completely ignore all scientific data and arguments. No valid arguments were made at the meeting to justify the opening of a spring hunting season for European pigeons – a vulnerable species in danger of extinction – especially when efforts are being made in the European Union to stop hunting. for this bird even in autumn. .
Yesterday’s events also make it clear that Prime Minister Robert Abela is determined to dismantle everything that has been done by his predecessors with regard to hunting and trapping.
The policy of this Government led by Robert Abela is only to suppress the hunters and win their votes with pre-election decisions. All this is happening when the Government knows that the European Commission will stop Malta in this regard and also knows that the majority of the public from across the political spectrum wants the natural environment of Malta to be protected and hunting is controlled.
At a time when our country must be progressive, and be fair and fair to the protection of the environment, PM Robert Abela is taking us back in time with his decisions on our country’s environmental policy. With over 60 years of experience, and as the largest environmental organization in Malta, we are committed to continuing to fight resolutely against these outrageous decisions in the coming weeks and months.
Labor betrays the environment again
Arnold Cassola reacts
The Labor Party has once again shown that it has no concept of real and genuine environmental protection and has blatantly continued with the hunting lobby, said independent candidate Arnold Cassola in a statement.
With the lifting of the moratorium on quail and pigeon hunting, Labor will be complicit in the continued destruction of the few remaining natural wildlife in our country.
This election has shown that both the Labor Party and the Nationalist Party are being held hostage by the threat of votes from the hunting lobby.
Gone are the days when thousands of Maltese who love our natural environment and its wildlife also use their vote to protect what they love. Election after election, the PL and the PN betray the natural environment once again.
It is time to vote for the environment by voting for those independent and third-party candidates who have consistently worked to protect our country’s natural environment throughout their lives.