The April 11 referendum on spring hunting will be the “real test” of democracy in Malta as people have their say while political parties step aside, popular TV presenter Moira Delia said yesterday.
“This is not only about birds, it is about democracy and people being empowered to decide,” Ms Delia said during a Spring Hunting Out (Shout) campaign news conference in Birkirkara.
While urging young people to go out and vote in favour of abolishing spring hunting, she emphasised that residents in localities where no council elections were scheduled also had the duty to participate in this exercise.
Asked for a reaction to the pro-spring hunting comments made by the Prime Minister last Sunday, Shout spokesman Saviour Balzan replied that the issue should not be turned to a political football. He said both leaders last January had promised to take the back seat in this debate while expressing their personal opinion in favour of retaining spring hunting.
The news conference was held in front of St Helen’s Basilica, where Shout activists were recently verbally abused by a hunter.
No incidents were reported yesterday as the police presence had been increased.
The No camp should explain to the people how many millions taxpayers’ will spend on this referendum
Meanwhile, the claim by the No camp that taxpayers were financing law enforcement during spring hunting was branded “a fairy tale” by the hunting lobby yesterday.
In a statement, the hunters accused the Shout camp of scaremongering tactics as it questioned the cost of the referendum forced by the anti-hunting lobby.
“The No camp should explain to the people how many millions will be spent from taxpayers’ money on this referendum,” the hunting lobby said.
They noted that spring hunting enforcement was being financed by hunting licence fees, contrary to what the ‘No’ camp had claimed.
The Yes camp also criticised Alternattiva Demo-kratika for instigating the national referendum and for “pulling the strings” of the anti-hunting lobby.
This referendum is about striking a balance and so people should vote Yes, they said.