Legal action on hunting 'scaremongering tactics' - FKNK
The hunters’ federation believes that reports that the European Commission was mulling further action against Malta in view of the proposed season for next spring constituted “more scaremongering tactics aimed towards the Maltese people and government”.
FKNK secretary Lino Farrugia told timesofmalta.com the Commission could not take Malta to Court on a similar case, as the one which verdict was pronounced last September.
Mr Farrugia said the federation was already aware of the Commission’s position, having been briefed with the outcome of meetings MEPs John Attard Montalto and Veronique Mathieu, as well as FACE officials had recently with Commission officials and with the EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik.
The Commission, he said, was not concerned with the length of the season, or the number of hunters that would be allowed to hunt.
Legal action by the Commission, Mr Farrugia said, did not necessarily mean a full-blown court case.
“We know that the Commission cannot take Malta to court on a similar Case, as the one which verdict was pronounced last September.
“We also believe that the Commission is wise enough, and will be more than cautious before venturing on another court case against Malta on the same subject of spring-hunting.”
Mr Farrugia said the FKNK believed that this news, from wherever quarter it was being emitted, constituted more scaremongering tactics aimed towards the Maltese people and government.
“The Commission is only concerned with the number of any harvested species, and seems to believe that the figure of 25,000 birds as proposed by government may be too high.
“However, we are also sure that the Commission will not just rely on whatever anyone may say, and will finally only rely on solid scientific facts.”
The FKNK, Mr Farrugia said, believed that the 25,000 figure was way too low in the region of the one per cent mortality rate allowed to be harvested according to the guidance document to the Birds Directive, and it already published scientific reports to back-up its theory.
These reports had not been challenged.
Mr Farrugia said the FKNK believed the government would heed its advice and be well prepared, with solid scientific reports and studies, to again defend its stand against any questions that the Commission might come up with.
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r sammut
Jul 30th 2010, 15:42
@Karl Consiglio
‘Hunting in Spain is not a good thing either but first they had to see to bullfighting, I hope that by the time Spain sees to banning hunting Malta ain't still at it, how embarrassing that would be.’
You’re blue… oh no you are not holding your breath? Hold your horses there, Spain banning hunting!?? That's the best one for this week!
J.Agius
Jul 30th 2010, 10:42
Hunting should be abolished the whole of Europe not just Malta.In Malta illegal hunting is easyily known as any shot fired is heard while other countries are so big that not even a cannon is heard.I witnessed in Australia some 500 parrots shot in 1 hour & left dead on the
ground. Also some kangaroos & a couple of foxes shot by a Rifel.This was in a large farm land 7 1/2hrs.drive from sydney(still in NSW).I also saw illegal hunting in the UK.What
about Italy Spain etc..Why allways running Malta down.We are now in Europe & should have the same wrights.True bull fighting is worst than hunting & if it is banned in Catalunia why not whole of Spain???Also illegal the ammount of Dogs in Sliema Flats. Is it not cruel for a dog to live in a flat??!!See all pavements & Rocks full of dogs dirt.Are we Camels???
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Jul 30th 2010, 09:37
Franco Farrugia and your lot, keep enjoying fantasyland!! Some substance please! Where exactly is the world going? Having millions and millions of hunters worldwide, one wonders what you are fantasizing!! What do you have to say about the report I mentioned? Shying away, Sir??!!!!!
J Borg, give us a break!! Some fresh ideas please!!
G.Pisani
Jul 30th 2010, 09:22
FKNK is not to be believed anymore. They know that their time has come, the of hunting is near. Well done EU.
Cynthia Gatt
Jul 30th 2010, 06:58
@ Andrew Gatt: Go take a cold shower!
Andrew Gatt
Jul 30th 2010, 09:35
It's summer, Cynthia. I take several every day, if you really want to know. Or was that a pick-up line? If it was, sorry, ma tarax, I'd rather date a weasel!
Karl Consiglio
Jul 30th 2010, 01:34
r sammut,
Hunting in Spain is not a good thing either but first they had to see to bullfighting, I hope that by the time Spain sees to banning hunting Malta ain't still at it, how embarrassing that would be.
J. Borg
Jul 29th 2010, 23:06
FKNK.....so you should have no qualms about taking out a banker's guarantee to meet any fines from your own pockets, no?
with social and cultural chaps like you, we all should have our minds at rest!
mark ellul
Jul 29th 2010, 21:54
@Karl Consiglio
Just abolish killing of ANIMALS altogether, what a lot of trouble for the country just because some nimrods want to murder animals. Look in Catalonia, they've actually banned bullfighting, so it shouldn't be a problem to ban animal killing in Malta.
We learn to be vegetarians.
M.Debono
Jul 29th 2010, 21:51
Brilliant a smaller bag limit,
does that mean you'll all be staying in again next spring?
Don't worry just listen to FKNK's guidance, it's only 'scaremongering' or that's what they want you to believe.Sad lot
r sammut
Jul 29th 2010, 21:29
@ marija falzon & Franco Farrugia
They banned bullfighting in Cataluña but not hunting! Hunting was never in question even though Quail is hunted all year there! Spain is also renowned for various other forms of hunting apart the Autumn seasons, so what’s your problem with Malta?
S. Calleja
Jul 29th 2010, 21:54
Area of Spain: 504,030 km squared
Area of Malta: 316 km squared
Population density of Spain: 93 persons/km squared
Population density of Malta: 1,298 persons/km squared
Source: Wikipedia
G. Grech
Jul 30th 2010, 08:12
the problem with Malta is that poachers shoot anything that flies.
Karl Consiglio
Jul 29th 2010, 21:20
Just abolish hunting altogether, what a lot of trouble for the country just because some nimrods want to murder birds. Look in Catalonia, they've actually banned bullfighting, so it shouldn't be a problem to ban bird hunting in Malta.
Andrew Gatt
Jul 29th 2010, 21:47
Murder? Yeah right!
So what do you call a chicken or pig farm, Karl? Auchwitz? Belsen? Birkenau? Dachau? Are you another of the holier-than-thou contract killers happily feeding off some supermarket counter? Oh....silly me......you probably believe that meat grows on shelves......and in the tooth fairy and Santa.
Load of emotional and sensational rubbish. Go eat your burgers and chicken nuggets and sausages and leave people who actually catch, clean, prepare and cook honest-to-god natural food alone.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Jul 29th 2010, 20:50
Prosit FKNK! This type of reporting shows respect towards readers by presenting facts and logic.
Marija Falzon and Franco Farrugia, your disappointment shines through your comments! Keep on dreaming about a ban. Hunting is practised worldwide and the Maltese hunters are no inferior! Regarding your last toy called Catalan, be truthful for once! Has a report in another English newspaper conveniently escaped you? Well, I quote:
"While the move is welcome, some commentators have remarked that it could have been more of a political move by Catalans to reinforce the notion of them being different from Spaniards."
But well, sense is almost always lacking in the antis' comments!!!
Franco Farrugia
Jul 29th 2010, 23:48
Yes, we know who has sense and who does not. Anyway, you hunters will grasp for any old twig to try and hide the truth being known. But that is where the world is going and Malta with it - if not this year, next year, and if not next year, the year after it. You cannot stop progress.
marija falzon
Jul 29th 2010, 19:27
we should ban hunting, similar to what the Catalans with bull fighting. there is no more space for cruelty and killing under the name of tradition
Franco Farrugia
Jul 29th 2010, 19:59
I agree with you completely. We need to read the signs of the times.
Johnny Xerri
Jul 29th 2010, 20:30
Ban it just from Malta or from all the EU?
Goodluck you will need it, especially in the UK, Spain, and Italy, that practically hunt birds all year round. Not to mention that 25 out or the EU 27 member states practice hunting on mammals practically all year round.
The Catalan's banned bullfighting....big deal...it was never a bullfighting region and never had more than 15 bullfights a year...for which tickets were never fully sold....I would like to see bullfighting banned from say Madrid.....the ban you so proudly boast of is similiar to banning hunting in Sliema, Valletta, or Paceville...
Anthony A. Mifsud
Jul 29th 2010, 20:33
Dear all,
What's wrong with you lot? Could we live in peace on this this rock?why mix things up with the bull fight? Two wrongs doent make one right.
Please pull back
Tony
Andrew Gatt
Jul 29th 2010, 21:34
Just because you disagree with it? Wow. You holier-than-thou extremists sure take the cake. What's next? Fishing? Owning a budgie? Eating meat??
There's no reasoning with you lot. The Marija Falzons who want to impose and dictate, and the Franco Farrugias who would like nothing bettter than having Malta fined.
Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but Autumn hunting is not an issue - and neither is Spring hunting. In the former case hunting is practised all over the same Europe whose rear end you kiss. In the latter case it is simply a matter of bag limits, seasons and conditions, not principle. That has been estabilished by none less than the EU Court and the verdict is irrevocable. Which part haven't you understood yet?
You may whinge and nag and moan and complain all you like. Big deal. Just what one would expect from non-compromising, blinkered hunter-hating generaists.
So the Catalans have banned bullfights? Hah! Recently, they hardly held ANY in the first place!
Puuuuu ghall-estremizmu taghkhom.
censu attard
Jul 29th 2010, 22:01
For the safety of the bull-fighters that`s why the Catalans are going to ban bull-fighting because the bulls are getting smarter just take a look at these pictures,
http://sportzfun.com/photos/bull-fighting/horny
http://sportzfun.com/photos/bull-fighting/lift
http://sportzfun.com/photos/bull-fighting/bull_fight1
http://sportzfun.com/photos/bull-fighting/matador
http://sportzfun.com/photos/bull-fighting/matador_poke
Eric Gahn
Jul 30th 2010, 07:29
While I wholeheartedly agree that hunting should be stopped in Malta, reason being that it serves no purpose other than ego fulfilment for licensed nature murder instead of its primary role, food sourcing, I cannot agree with bringing the bullfight ban.
Johnny Xerri is right. A few years back National Geographic had an article about slavery and in it there was a line saying that slavery was abolished when its economic input was greatly overtaken by industrial machinery. All such laws are passed for that reason. When (most) politicians are faced with little or no opposition they will legislate and come out as cause champions when in effect. whatever the cause was, died a slow, natural death. Long live hypocrisy and a society wearing blindfolds.