The General Workers’ Union yesterday disassociated itself from the editorial stand in favour of spring hunting taken by its own daily newspaper, l-Orizzont.

In an unusual statement, the union encouraged members to exercise their right to vote in Saturday’s spring hunting referendum and to express their preferences freely, without any interference from third parties.

When contacted, newspaper editor Josef Caruana said he had nothing to add to what had been already stated, saying the daily had taken a stand and the union had made its position clear, too.

“I think it’s healthy. The newspaper has taken a stand. The union has also taken a stand. The union has always respected the editorial stand taken by this newspaper. It is a pity that people thought it was the union’s stand because it is not. It is the newspaper’s editorial stand,” he said.

In its statement, the union said it disassociated itself from the editorial stand expressed by l-Orizzont on Saturday and yesterday, which urged people to vote to retain spring hunting.

The GWU understood the journalistic duty to take a stand, but theposition adopted by the daily newspaper was not the union’s official stand

“The GWU stood clear of controversy throughout the campaign,” it said, adding that while it understood the journalistic duty to take a stand on particular issues, the position adopted by the daily newspaper was not the union’s official stand.

The union said that it believed that a stand in favour or against spring hunting was a personal decision that had to be taken by individual voters and that was why union officials refrained from making any public statements on the matter during the campaign.

The GWU said it had, from the outset, stayed away from the hunting controversy.

It regretted that l-Orizzont could have given the impression that the GWU was supporting one side ahead of Saturday’s referendum.

The newspaper’s position came out a few days after outgoing editor-in-chief, Sandro Mangion, reported on Faceboook he had been threatened upon declaring his personal position against spring hunting.

The threats happened when Mr Mangion had already tendered his resignation and was working his notice period, which ended on Sunday, having accepted a job offer elsewhere.