Mifsud Bonnici hits out at EU, government, over hunting
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, chairman of the Campaign for National Independence (CNI), said this morning that the European Court's decision to ban spring hunting this year impinged on the good faith of the Maltese government and the European Commission in the EU membership negotiations.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici, former leader of the Labour Party, said he would not go into the merits of whether or not spring hunting should be allowed, but before the EU membership referendum, the then prime minister, Dr Gonzi as his deputy, as well as then Foreign Minister Joe Borg and then MIC chairman Simon Busuttil had officially told the people that spring hunting would be allowed even when Malta joined the EU.
Therefore, was somebody lying?
If it was the government that had been lying to the people, then the people concerned should resign. If it was the commission which had lied to the government, then something should be done to take Malta out of the EU, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said, because the people had voted for accession on a package of information which included spring hunting.
Dr Mifsud Bonnici said the government had known for some time that the EU was going to come down on spring hunting, but it had failed to grab opportunities to insist on preserving its position. These opportunities included the negotiations and signing of the Lisbon reform treaty and the accession talks with Bulgaria and Romania.
Those opportunities could also have been used for Malta to insist that state aid to the Malta Shipyards should be allowed, Dr Mifsud Bonnici said.
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In Discussion
28 Comments
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l borg
Apr 30th 2008, 16:17
TO MR STEVE BUSITILL
CHICKENS AND RABBITS ARE DOMESTIC BREED FOR MEAT AND FOR ONE EATEN 2 ARE REPLACED
NO HUNTER HAS EVER REPLACED ANY OF THE BIRDS HE KILLED.
Robert Aquilina
Apr 30th 2008, 13:54
Apart from what KMB had to say it is very depressing to see the EU coming down on our country like a ton of bricks on the issue of spring hunting while on the other side procrastinating to do something on the illegal immigration issue …. What an irony!
john Bondin
Apr 30th 2008, 13:31
I want hunting abolished .. I do not like it. But this has nothing to do with the facts as brought out by KMB. My view is that both EFA, Laurence Gonzi and all knew quite well that hunting would be abolished, but they took hunters for a ride.
However please do not go on twisting this issue .. it is not about hunters. It is about the fact that EFA and Laurence Gonzi did not tell the truth .. and we all know this!
D Buhagiar
Apr 30th 2008, 11:08
Dear Mr Martinelli,
i guess that you did not learn one of the most important lessons from the EU; 'Respect for the minorities'.......and this respect should go for any type of minority!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, no EU information desk should have misinformed people in order to achieve its own means.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 29th 2008, 20:01
Mr. Martinelli, are you suggesting that the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Environment and the MIC-EU Information Centre in collaboration with the European Commission in Malta interpreted the clause in the Accession Treaty incorrectly?!
steve busuttil
Apr 29th 2008, 17:47
another super comment by L Borg.
Please help protect chickens and rabbits now too, since you seem to have the same level of eloquence!
Also where do you people get figures? 96% are these the people you asked to vote on The Times website? Other antis from other countries? this would have been considered treason in past times!
anyway spring hunting may have been stopped for the time being, but responsible hunting per se will continue since this is a perfectly acceptable passtime where real hunters take pleasure in taking a couple of birds home for a traditional meal.
you surely would not understand or appreciate since you clearly have no concept of reality!
Joe Martinelli
Apr 29th 2008, 16:09
I am all for leaving the EU so that we can continue with our traditional pastime of destroying innocent game before giving them a chance to propagate thus ensuring their numbers to dwindle further.
To hell with other benefits coming from the EU like e855 million, like conforming our laws to the EU's and to having a voice in the 27 nation union rather than a donkey's bray from nowhere.
The accession treaty included a clause that said, 'Malta may apply for a spring hunting derogation' and it may have been interpreted wrongly as some kind of a guarantee.
Moreover, is the opinion of over 90% of the Maltese population, worthless?
Maybe the other 10% should join Dr. KMB and his CNI.
A Agius
Apr 29th 2008, 08:06
I think that someone is not saying the truth.Its not fair to treat people this way hunters or not,because if things happen this way in such things they can happen that way on more serious matters that can change our way of living.For a moment lets forget the lies that have been said before the EU referendum.Has the EU acted the right way with us?One has to be more serious when doing things black on white and agree on something.Is it fair to turn back no matter what the agreement is?
L BORG
Apr 29th 2008, 01:27
Dr Mifsud Bonnici should know that the majority of Maltese want hunting abolished and this has nothing to do with the EU.
The EU forced the government to do what 96 percent of the Maltese wanted.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 28th 2008, 22:12
Mr. S. Strijbosch, yes indeed hunters who voted yes in the referendum did so because their traditional pastime of Spring Hunting was guaranteed by the Prime Minister of the time, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Environment and the MIC EU Information Centre. The latter were well aware that if this promise was not made with hunters, they would have lost the Referendum. Even the EU was aware of this and in fact it was stated, black on white, that the EU had understood Malta's position with regard to Spring Hunting and that this would not be hindered.
I feel that it would be more appropriate and polite if foreigners inform themselves well before interfering in our culture and tradition. I would, personally, refrain from commenting on other countries' businesses as this is quite unethical. It is bad enough having foreigners policing our countryside under the pretext of birdwatching. So please, there is a limit!
Stephan Strijbosch
Apr 28th 2008, 19:42
I think it would be extremely irrational and selfish if all the hunters who voted yes for EU did so just because they thought that their "hobby" would be safeguarded. What about all the other benefts of the EU? Are the hunters THAT shortsighted? I mean, sure, sometimes they "mishit" and kill a protected bird or two, but im sure that many of them realised that the benefits that the EU offers are greater than the other option, which was not joining the EU.
Tony Borg
Apr 28th 2008, 19:02
So, the EU protects birdsfrom being killed by imposing on the country and with regards to killing of HUMAN BEINGS in Abortions, it is passive and leaves such decisions to the respective country.
How about that?
J. Borg
Apr 28th 2008, 18:52
'..."our" government is not in control of the country....'
Finally, now we can start getting some overdue things done!
Anthony Formosa
Apr 28th 2008, 16:53
The hunting issue paved the way, to set an example to the rest of the Maltese people, that our government is not in control of the country, and such measures can only apply to 2nd class member states. I have great respect for Mr Mintoff and then Dr Mifsud Bonnici, who managed to build our island from scratch without the need of any super power. However replying to what ABC quoted, nobody is asking you to listen what CNI says, what matters is that whether you like or not you have to listen what EU says or else you'll be punished. This is called modern dictatorship.
Fabian Borg
Apr 28th 2008, 16:26
It could be true that the country as a whole is better off.
It could be true that the strength of the euro against the USD is holding us together and with less burden relating to inflation especially regarding Fuel Prices.
It could be true that the unity with the Super State of EU is favouring commerce and reducing some red-tape.
But as I said (wrote) before - Was it all worth it ?
I might have taken the bad medicine on the first instance and could be in for more when the real case gets underway but all the diversity and cultural conservation the EU boasts is just a pile of crap used as a punchline to obtain credits. This is just one big mockery which is effecting me and other fellow hunters. I wish, for the country, that this was the end of it but after what I`ve seen it surely will not.
You can mention the monetary aids from the EU but what does it matter if you loose your freedom. You call it freedom to kill birds - so what - its what they agreed to in the first place !!
Next time it could be the freedom to walk on your beloved front or park your car in front of home.
Albert Gauci cunningham
Apr 28th 2008, 16:17
Why don't some people of Labour tendencies just tell KMB to retire as they are telling their "Salvatur" in another blog????? Or does the word retire really mean "shut up" and be loyal to Sant's clique come what may?????..............yes, let's leave the E.U and while we're at it we'll remove Gonzi and put KMB right back at the helm with Dr.Sant as his advisor!!......being the best two leaders the MLP has ever had( so much so that Sant is back in Hamrun AGAIN!!) I'm sure will make them fit to govern us much better than any E.U loser!!!!!!!!!!
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 28th 2008, 16:09
One would expect responsible individuals to tackle facts immaterial from whom they come. However no one has as yet tried to explain why the hunting lobby were taken for a ride by persons holding high positions in the country. The yes majority for the referendum was based on promises made to hunters. If these knew the truth, the hunters who voted yes would definitely have refrained from doing so. In my humble opinion I believe that the referendum result is null and void.
steve busuttil
Apr 28th 2008, 15:57
Although KMB is hardly the person we should listen to as correctly stated by andrew borg cardona, there is an issue of other u-turns that the EU might take in the future.
I personally do not agree that responsible spring hunting should be abolished but that is beyond the point.
The real question now should be what other issue will the EU decide to change?
Francis Farrugia
Apr 28th 2008, 15:24
Once Dr.K.Mifsud Bonnici is side lined why care to comment on what he writes. Either one or the other
David Borg Cardona
Apr 28th 2008, 15:07
To quote Richard Cachia Caruana at his talk after the EU negotiations were concluded
" On the other hand, there were areas where different Maltese groups held opposing views. Perhaps the best example of this concerns the hunting and trapping issue and the conflicting views of the hunters and environmentalists. It was clearly necessary for us to find a solution that was fair to both sides, as well as to the rest of the population. The result is that hunting and trapping will certainly not be abolished – contrary to what was said in certain quarters. Moreover, they will be practised in a sustainable and responsible manner."
To quote Dr. Lawrence Gonzi - " Nixtieq inkun naf minn dahak b'minn"
Any further comment is superflous...
George Caruana
Apr 28th 2008, 15:07
The online poll running in this web site says it all !
mario salnitro
Apr 28th 2008, 13:18
well done karmenu at least we hear of one politician who says the truth.
what a shame that the nationalists, have always lied to all hunters and trappers.
people like eddie fenech adami and the likes are traitors to all maltese and gozitans.
Franco Farrugia
Apr 28th 2008, 13:08
Is this what we want? To bring Malta out of the EU for the sake of hunting/trapping?
Certainly for KMB, this would be ideal - bringing Malta out of the EU and allowing Malta to revert back to the Dark Ages, when people such as Dom Mintoff and himself, ruled without any limitations. But thank goodness, even if things are not at their optimum, at least, such a possibility is remote with Malta within - and not under - the EU.
I am sure that not even Labour would agree with KMB on this matter - no wonder that he is completely side-lined, never mentioned.
I am sorry: but it is simply impossible to try and imagine our country out of the EU - and what for? Simply because some Maltese citizens want to carry on shooting and trapping birds.
Let's stop being ridiculous.
Aidan Zammit Lupi
Apr 28th 2008, 12:53
After Mifsud Bonnici's disastrous handling of the country, should we even be listening to this person?
The EU decision is a blessing to Malta. The hunters will have to be patient and accept that the majority of the Maltese want the ban on spring hunting.
Andrew Borg-Cardona
Apr 28th 2008, 12:20
Can anyone illuminate me as to why we should care what CNI actually says about anything?
effie carbonaro
Apr 28th 2008, 11:46
Politics,lies and corruption go hand in hand.these 3 tools are used to take power in your hands and then use that same power to silence those who want what you promised as in the case of hunters and trappers.from the beginning of their existence the pn used those tools but we the Maltese never learn and bit by bit we are losing our dignity and identity to those same people we have trusted our future.was somebody lying? Everybody was lying. Voters work hard to earn a decent living remembering that once we were promised that if we enter in the EU we will have a better living.was somebody lying???
paul fava
Apr 28th 2008, 11:42
Dr. Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici on this issue is 100% correct. I personally still have in my possession a letter on the OPM letter head and signed by the then Prime Minister Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami in which I was promised that Spring Hunting would continue when we become full member of the European Union. Other such statements and literature issued by MIC stating also the above are also in my possession. Accountability does not exist in Malta.....as everyone knows that we hunters and trappers were literally robbed of our vote by the Nationalist Party.....but nothing seems to be happening and life continues. Is this truly democracy....if it is I am against it.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Apr 28th 2008, 11:35
Accountibility and resignations only occur in Democratic countries!!