I am neither a hunter nor a trapper. I have never been and does not aspire to become one. If I had divine powers, I would certainly move forward to a world without hunting, any type of hunting, being it bird, fox, boar, deer, etc.

But I recognise the fact that hunting has been embedded as a basic instinct in mankind thousands of years ago, well before the domestication of life stock and the dawn of agriculture. It takes generations to separate this instinct from the community that still embraces it. Even if today's hunting scope is completely different from the original one.

I form part of the Nationalist Party. And because I form part of the PN, I know exactly what we have negotiated with the hunting and trapping local community. On several occasions we have committed ourselves that we will completely support hunting both in spring and in autumn. We have given them such a declaration in writing, more than once.

On several occasions we boasted that we had acquired a derogation to continue with spring hunting and trapping. We believed in this and the spring hunting season was opened for four consecutive years from 2004 to 2007. We stuck to our position even when the European Union gave Malta written warnings for opening the spring hunting season.

We claim that Malta and the EU are interpreting the derogation differently from each other. As far as I know, we went to the European Court of Justice for a ruling. As a civilised country we will abide by the decision taken by the European Court of Justice. Until that day comes, the PN has a moral responsibility to stick to his position. I am sure that we will stick to it.

The PN differs from the Labour Party on several levels. Definitely, it gives more leeway to its exponents and freedom to express themselves. I am sure that no authority within the PN will even think of fining any of the party's exponents €15,000 if they fall out of the party line. If someone within the PN ever comes up with such a "bright" idea then I will call it a day!

But I know my limits. And I am not ready to compromise my party to get some cheap personal political mileage.

Edward Demicoli, a new MEP candidate on the PN ticket, fell for this trap. In order to gain some personal political mileage he took a categorical stand against spring hunting and trapping. In doing so he had compromised the party he strives to represent. He might be right on the issue. But, irrespective of the issue, he must have recognised that he is not fiddling with an issue but with a commitment, a promise.

Mr Demicoli must have recognised that the party he now forms part of has made a commitment to a minority group. Irrespective of whether the group consists of trappers and hunters; the minority group could have been composed of any other category under the stars; it could have been just one person. There exists a promise.

The new MEP candidate should have made the calculations beforehand. He knew, or at least should have known, the party's position on such an issue. He definitely should have known about the commitment the party had made.

This is not just an issue, it is a promise. And a promise should be honoured, till the end, and by everyone within the party... even by newcomers like Mr Demicoli.

Mr Mifsud is a Nationalist member of Parliament