The hunters' federation said today that it would name and shame any hunters who applied for the special licence for spring hunting for a week at the end of this month. Such hunters would also have their membership revoked since, by their actions, they would be endangering the future of traditional spring hunting for many thousands of other hunters and trappers, the federation said.
Applications for the special licences opened this morning at Maltapost branch offices, but all was quiet and the hunters appeared to be obeying the directive.
The FKNK said the opening of a spring hunting season of just one week was 'obscene' and accepting it would set a precedent for the future.
In its statement this morning, the FKNK described the Prime Minister as being intransigent after he declared in Dubai yesterday that there were no grounds to extend this year's spring hunting season.
The FKNK last Friday had urged the government to reconsider its decision.
The FKNK said it would continue to struggle through every legal means to ensure that hunters and trappers were able to enjoy their rights, despite having been betrayed through false promises.
The federation said that the governemnt was committing an injustice is denying Maltese hunters the same rights enjoyed by over seven million hunters and trappers in Europe. This was an injustice which would never be forgotten.
The federation reiterated its directives to hunters not to apply for the special licence to hunt at the end of this month.