Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
Spring hunting issue set for hearing on May 7
The hotly-contested spring hunting issue has been appointed for hearing at the European Court of Justice on May 7, The Sunday Times has learnt.
The news comes days after the government said it would not open the spring hunting season for the second consecutive year.
"The ECJ has accepted the request made by the Maltese authorities and appointed an oral hearing to be held in Luxembourg on May 7," a spokesman for the ECJ said. During this session, the legal teams of the European Commission and Malta will argue their case in an open sitting in front of the ECJ and may also be requested to answer any further questions by the presiding judge.
This hearing is not an automatic part of the ECJ procedures and is only granted in 'serious' cases at the request of one of the parties involved in the case. The sitting follows the submission of voluminous legal arguments in writing by both Malta and the Commission.
Though the court case against Malta is entering its final stages, the ECJ is not expected to issue a final verdict on the day of the hearing. It may take weeks or even months for the issue to be decided. Legal action against Malta over the spring hunting issue was started last year following a series of EU warnings over the hunting of quails and turtle doves.
According to the Commission, spring hunting of these migratory birds takes place during their return from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe, before they have had a chance to reproduce, and is in breach of the EU's Birds directive.
The Commission had last year also applied for interim measures to apply for 2008 and 2009 to ensure that spring hunting does not take place before the court case is decided. Brussels warned the Maltese authorities it would refer the issue back to the ECJ if it allows the opening of hunting this spring while the court case is still pending.
In the meantime, the hunters' federation yesterday accused Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of failing to exercise the powers of decision a determined leader is expected to have.
The federation said it was disappointed that the Prime Minister announced his decision to stop spring hunting again this year on a television programme when he could have addressed hunters through their representatives.
The FKNK said it had even offered to give up most of the autumn season in return for the socio-cultural tradition of spring hunting in a transmission to members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, last Monday.
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Philip Galea
Mar 22nd 2009, 18:24
Mr.Camilleri get your facts right. The ECJ only imposed interim measures for 2008. What Brussels is trying to do by declaring that it would refer the case to the ECJ again if Malta allows Spring hunting this year, is bullying a small country such as Malta.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Mar 22nd 2009, 14:24
I am disgusted at the usual deceitful reporting regarding the issue of hunting. The reporter is duty-bound to be faithful when reporting. While stating that the "The Commission had last year also applied for interim measures to apply for 2008 and 2009 to ensure that spring hunting does not take place before the court case is decided" yet he deceitfully omitted to report that since the Maltese Government had not made certain Reports available, the ECJ had imposed INTERIM MEASURES FOR 2008 ONLY.
Furthermore, one wonders why the date of May 7 has been chosen!!!!! Is it, maybe, because the Spring Hunting Season will be at its end?! OR Does it have anything to do with the June MEP Elections?! Is this a tool in the hends of the PN to further decent gullible hunters?!
ALEX CASHA
Mar 22nd 2009, 12:05
Hope that the maltese authority will tell that after spring of 2008 in our gardens and countryside we had a big problem with nests and doves flying arround,come on people what are you exepting with a ban of a month!!!!!!!! it doesnt make any diference if there will be hunting or not cos hunters bag was still the same poor in autim,so open up you mind and exept the reality that birds dont breed in Malta,so if you like the bird watching do as the PM said to the hunters,MORRU SIFRU,minn flokk il PM jara kif ha jamel biex il maltin ikunu dejjem stabli fil finanzi.
Anthony Formosa
Mar 22nd 2009, 11:41
Well said Tony Richards. There is something that most of the antis and the public do not understand. It doesn't matter in which season you shoot at birds, what matters is the quantity, the EU wants to protect the few hundreds from Malta, but accepts the millions elsewhere. The irony is that all others countries they have residents birds which we don't have.
Tony Richards
Mar 22nd 2009, 11:10
The funny thing is that the rest of Europe,who have much,much more quantity of turtle doves and quail during the Summer and Autumn seasons than Malta and which they are allowed to shoot them plus the other different game they have,they also shoot the turtle dove and quail before they have a chance to reproduce,they shoot them when they are going to Africa and Malta shoot them on their way to Europe to breed,but still they are shot without reproduction in both cases and the way I see it Summer,Autumn and Spring are in breach of the EU`s Birds directive
g.c.Forte
Mar 22nd 2009, 10:10
@ F.K.N.K .........Do not forget to take and show the papers that GONZIP.N. have sent you and your members before the Referendum and the last election....I bet that you are going to gain or win!!! another one or two years of hunting in spring, but after that,,,just forget it, so by that time try to practice another hobby during spring,and let the birds fly to start new families, which you the hunters will destroy when autumn comes,because of your humble hobby you have inherited.