MEPs to ask questions on hunting in Malta

Eleven members of the European Parliament from the European Peoples Party, the Socialists and the Greens have teamed up to put 11 parliamentary questions on hunting in Malta.

Arnold Cassola, Alternattiva Demokratika's spokesman on EU Affairs and the European Green Party's secretary general, has been advising the MEPs on the state of affairs, AD said.

The Green Group will on Tuesday present the DVD Malta: A Birdless Island?, a film produced by the Belgian Bird Protection Society and the Komitee Gegen Den Vogelmord of Germany. The screening will be followed by a debate on the situation of bird hunting and trapping in Malta.

Prof. Cassola said: "It is alarming that the Maltese government has not been able to keep up with its commitments with the EU as regards hunting in our country.

"The recent spring months - the first since we joined the EU - have shown that a certain number of irresponsible hunters have used the supposed possibility of hunting quail and turtle doves in spring in order to shoot at anything that flies.

"Universally protected and less protected species, such as storks, honey buzzards, seagulls, red-footed falcons, bee-eaters and pigeons, have all fallen prey to irresponsible hunters this spring.

"It is shameful that Malta is making such a bad name for itself in this field. There is therefore no option but to end all hunting and trapping in the spring season," Prof. Cassola said.