Castille stormed by anti-hunting signatures

A 115,000-signature petition has called on the government to face up to its illegal bird hunting and trapping "shame" and honour its bird protection commitments.

The petition, organised by Europe's largest conservation organisation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, was delivered to the Prime Minister's doorstep at Auberge de Castille yesterday as a Cabinet meeting was in progress.

The presentation of the petition coincides with an analysis by BirdLife Malta showing birds from 38 countries have been shot or trapped across the islands.

The petition calls on the government to respect the EU bird protection laws, to make sure these are enforced and to stop spring hunting.

As BirdLife members held banners saying "Stop Illegal Spring Hunting", several boxes filled with signed copies of the petition were stacked up high on the steps of Castille.

Police presence around the Prime Minister's office increased before Lawrence Gonzi's private secretary Remigio Bartolo accepted the petition. The boxes were then placed next to Castille's reception room.

No incidents were reported.

Several of the signatures were lined up on display at St James Cavalier earlier where a press conference was held.

RSPB Director of International Operations Alistair Gammell did not mince words.

"We ask Malta to stop damaging its own reputation... The government can be rest assured it will lose the European court case about spring hunting."

Mr Gammell claimed that the Prime Minister had refused three written requests to meet, leaving no option for the organisations but to deliver their message in person and discuss the annual carnage.

He expressed his surprise at Dr Gonzi's persistent refusal considering his willingness to meet the hunters to discuss their priorities.

"I don't know why he refused, but I think he knows Malta has no defence," Mr Gammell said.

Lying midway between Europe and Africa, Malta is a key staging post for birds migrating between the two continents in spring and autumn.

Mr Gammell said spring hunting is uniquely destructive, as it kills birds just days before their nesting begins across Europe.

"It cannot be tolerated by anyone who cares about nature and it is a matter of continual concern to many of our million members."

Bird Life Malta (BLM) President Joseph Mangion said 14 bird species that had been ringed in various parts of the UK have been traced here.

In many of these cases, the birds were found because they had either been shot or trapped - thus highlighting the plight of migratory birds from all over Europe.

Mr Mangion said it was evident the government was turning a blind eye to the problem of hunting in the vain hope of squeezing out some extra votes in the run-up to the election. In reality, there were clear indications that the hunting issue did not determine elections, as evidenced by the 2004 European elections.

If anything, surveys show the Maltese are in their majority calling for a ban on hunting, he added.

Malta is widely regarded as the worst offender against the EU Birds Directive, BLM said. While changes in hunting legislation were a step in the right direction, the government had continued to allow spring hunting of turtle dove and quail and the trapping of finches - both activities in clear breach of European law.

BirdLife noted that the European Commission had opened infringement procedures against Malta last June. Despite pressure from the EU and conservation organisations in Malta and Europe, the government recently challenged the Commission at a meeting in Brussels and suggested they would allow spring hunting again this year, the organisation lamented.

In a statement later, the Office of the Prime Minister denied the claim that Dr Gonzi had refused to meet RSPB officials.

The OPM said that in the last communication on November 9, the Prime Minister's office received a letter sent by the RSPB. The head of secretariat replied the same day inviting the conservation organisation to call or e-mail the office to fix a meeting. The OPM never received a reply.