BirdLife Welcomes PM’s Spring Hunting Ban Decision
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- BirdLife urges European Commission to take action on Malta
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BirdLife International and BirdLife Malta today welcomed the Maltese Prime Minister’s announcement of last night that there will be no spring hunting in 2009.
Replying to questions on the national TV yesterday evening, Dr. Lawrence Gonzi said that no spring hunting could take place while the court case was pending, so as not to prejudice the case at the European Court of Justice (1).
“The Prime Minister’s decision gives us hope that Malta is starting to take serious action for the protection of the European Union’s common natural heritage” said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta President. “We ask all political parties to join together on this issue and stop seeing spring hunting as a conflict between two sides but as a serious conservation issue.”
Dr. Clairie Papazoglou, Regional Director of the European Division at BirdLife International in Brussels said: “We would like to welcome the Maltese Prime Minister’s statement in respect of the EU’s Birds Directive. Turtle doves and Quails can now safely cross Malta on their way to their breeding grounds in Europe”.
Note:
1) Malta has been taken to European Court of Justice for allowing the spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Quail since it joined the EU. In April last year the ECJ issued interim measures forbidding spring hunting for the first time.
Photo shows a Turtle Dove which are common spring migrants in Malta. If the spring hunting ban is enforced Turtle Doves would be given the opportunity to start breeding again in the Maltese islands. Photo by Denis Cachia.
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