Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has not ruled out the possibility of changing the abrogative referendum law to block a referendum on spring hunting, as proposed by the hunters’ federation.
As Malta officially closes its spring hunting season tomorrow, Dr Muscat stressed he was in favour of the controversial practice, which once again has triggered off widespread condemnation.
Times of Malta is informed the government has informally told FKNK members that it will go along with their proposal to block the referendum if they manage to gather a good number of thousands of signatures in their ongoing petition.
Dr Muscat insisted that spring hunting must continue, irrespective of whether a referendum is held.
Asked directly whether his government was actually considering changing the law as the hunters had demanded, Dr Muscat said he would wait for the petition.
“There is an ongoing petition by the hunters asking for a change in the law and we will see.
“However, this is not a question of law. I think that the Leader of the Opposition is abstaining again on this issue. My position is clearly in favour of spring hunting.”
Pressed on whether he was excluding the possibility of changing the law, Dr Muscat said: “I have just given you a reply.”
My position is clearly in favour of spring hunting
The Prime Minister’s vague position contrasts sharply with government spokesman Carmelo Abela who recently told this newspaper it was too late to try to change the law and block the referendum.
As prescribed by the Referendum Act, the Coalition Against Spring Hunting has collected more than 40,000 signatures calling for the vote. The Electoral Commission has three months to verify these signatures, after which the referendum can be challenged on a point of law in the Constitutional Court.
‘You can’t point your fingers at one group’
In a counter reaction, the hunters’ lobby started collecting a petition calling for a proposed amendment, including a clause to stop national votes from impinging on ‘minority freedoms’.
Hunting is outlawed in the EU according to the Birds Directive. However, following a challenge by the Maltese government in front of the European Court of Justice it was decided that a limited spring hunting season would be allowed in Malta under strict rules.
Dr Muscat yesterday said that the government is doing its utmost to uphold the rules by rigid enforcement and appealed to the two sides – for and against hunters – to lower the pitch of their bickering. Asked what he thought about the international harm done to the country because of spring hunting, the Prime Minister replied “you have to see who is causing this harm.
“I don’t think you can point your fingers at one particular group.”