On June 25, AD’s deputy chairman, Carmel Cacopardo, stated on TVAM that the European Court of Justice had found Malta guilty of infringements when applying a spring hunting derogation and that the Court had not given Malta the right to do so.

Cacopardo, purposely or ignorantly, omitted to mention that the Court had found Malta guilty only in respect of the years 2004-2007 for not abiding by the derogation conditions and he failed also to mention the European Commission’s approval of legislation permitting derogation subsequent to those years. He made it look as if the PN government in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and the PL government in 2013 had acted illegally when they applied derogations for limited spring-hunting.

As to his reference that the Commission takes its time to act, contrary to what he would have all believe, we remind him, in the case of spring hunting, of the immediate application of interim measures prior to the Court’s decision that saw this activity suspended for two consecutive years.

By these falsehoods, Cacopardo gives the impression that AD is justified in its attempt to organise a referendum against spring hunting. Obviously, these deceitful tactics do not alter the facts which leave AD with no leg to stand on. The European Court’s ruling paved the way for Malta to derogate and Malta rightly applied derogation from 2010 to date. Significantly, the European Union did not take action against Malta for applying derogation. Therefore, there can be no doubt that the statement made on TVAM by the AD representative was false.

AD is only consolidating its undemocratic stigma in spearheading an attempt to destabilise Maltese society by denying the right of a minority, in this case four per cent of the population, to engage in a legitimate practice sanctioned by the European Court of Justice, scrutinised by the Commission and legislated by political parties that respect the rights of all citizens.