Prior to the Ornis Committee meeting that will be held tomorrow, Tuesday the 12th of February, BirdLife Malta has urged the members of the Committee to reject taking any decision to allow another spring hunting season in 2008.

In reaction to the agenda that was circulated to the Ornis Committee members in advance of tomorrow's meeting, the conservation organisation sent a letter to the members of the committee last Friday, urging them to refrain from taking any decisions on spring hunting. The letter, signed by BirdLife Malta's President Joseph Mangion and Conservation Manager Dr. Andre Raine who represent BirdLife on the Ornis Committee, warned that "since the spring hunting issue is now being taken to the European Court of Justice, and since the Maltese Government has publicly announced that it will defend its position in the Court, it is now the Government's responsibility to decide whether or not it will allow another spring hunting and trapping season in 2008."

Commenting on the Environment Minister's latest statement that he was waiting for the Ornis Committee's recommendation regarding the opening of another spring hunting season, Joseph Mangion said: "Last year the government had overridden the Ornis Committee and decided to open a spring hunting season. Now that the issue is being referred to the European Court, government should not attempt to put the burden on the Ornis Committee but should shoulder the responsibility of its decisions fully."

"If a spring hunting and trapping season of any period of time is brought up for discussion at tomorrow's meeting by the Chairman," Mangion continued "no self-respecting member of the committee should accept to shoulder the responsibility of such a decision thus allowing themselves to be used as a smokescreen."

BirdLife reminded the Ornis Committee that the European Commission expressed its decision to request an interim measure from the Court should the need arise in order to stop the Maltese government from opening another spring hunting season in 2008. It was essential, BirdLife said, that the Ornis Committee members avoided being part of any further embarrassment to Malta.

The conservation organisation also stated that at tomorrow's meeting it would be presenting its position paper on the FKNK's demands which was sent to the Chairman of the Ornis Committee in January 2008. Dr. Raine said: "The majority of the current FKNK document is simply a reiteration of the previous document sent by them in June last year and still includes unacceptable demands such as opening yet another spring hunting and trapping season in 2008 and reducing the hunting distance from inhabited areas from the current 200 metres to 100."

For more information, please visit www.birdlifemalta.org