FKNK applauds PM

The Federation for Hunting and Conservation said it remains prepared to stand by its offer to assist in every possible manner for a practical and realistically applicable satisfactory solution to the spring hunting issue to be found.

In a statement, the FKNK applauded the Prime Minister “for his determined statement in standing up in defence of the rights of Maltese citizens”.

Last Thursday, the European Commission said it was concerned that Malta's new framework legislation seeking to permit spring hunting in future years did not comply with the ruling given by the European Court.

It warned Malta to comply with the ruling or risk being taken back to court where the Commission would ask for the imposition of financial penalties.

The Prime Minister said later he would be prepared to go back to the European Court of Justice over the issue of spring hunting to defend Malta’s rights despite the risk of incurring millions of euros in fines.

The FKNK said that despite feeling completely and unnecessarily deprived of hunters’ right to practice their traditional and cultural passion for the past three years, they were still willing to help find a solution.

“The FKNK can understand the pressures on the Commission by the anti-hunting lobby but expects it to be pragmatic and sensible in taking any final decisions that have to respect the rights of each and every European citizen not least us.

“This particularly in the light of the judgement of th”e Court of Justice of the European Communities (ECJ) of September 2009.

The FKNK said it was also convinced that this issue had now become a sore thumb for all parties concerned and that all wished to see a realistic conclusion to this saga.

“The sad truth, however, is that the European citizens who are suffering the consequences of this unnecessary debate are the Maltese serious and legal hunters and trappers (live-capturers) who were promised and guaranteed the unobstructed continuance of their passions by their government, the Malta-EU information Centre and with no word of negation of these facts by the Commission itself, at the time.

“The FKNK is at the disposal of the Commission and of the government to discuss and assist in achieving the equitable satisfactory solution,” it said.