The Federation for Hunting Conservation has described the decision taken by the European Court to ban spring hunting this year as "unjust".

"The FKNK, reiterates in the strongest of terms that it will continue to fight with all legal means at its disposal for the rights of all Maltese hunters and trappers to practise the sport which they have been practising since time immemorial," the federation said.

It also expressed "clear and unequivocal condemnation" at the action taken by the European Commission which during Malta's accession process never objected to Malta's declared intention to apply the derogation of the Birds Directive for spring hunting, but then proceeded with such recourse to the European Court of Justice even to the extent of requesting this interim measure until the case was decided.

"The FKNK formally calls upon the government to step up its firm contestation of all the procedures instituted by the European Commission in stark contradiction to the position taken by the European Commission prior to Malta's Accession to the EU, in particular with the presentation of the Reply to the main Court Case which is due to be presented in the coming days, and in its subsequent active defence of the Court Case," the federation said.

"The government is once again also requested to formally bring to the European Commission's attention the fact that the actions taken against Malta in this instance are both unfair and unjustified and that they go against the
understanding which the government has publicly and formally advised that it had reached with the European Commission up to the eve of the EU referendum."

This, the federation said, was not only a fight for the right of hunters and trappers to the spring hunting
period. Given the formal and unequivocal manner in which agreement with the European Commission on this issue was made public by the highest authority within the government, this was also a fight for Malta to ensure that whatever was agreed with the European Commission prior to accession was safeguarded, protected and defended.

"The FKNK on behalf of all its members, as also the entire hunting community and the public at large expect the government to act accordingly."

The federation also strongly criticised BirdLife for its role in the case,

"It has also emerged very clearly that BirdLife (Malta) acting in connivance with BirdLife International has worked behind the scenes to spearhead this action against Malta. The FKNK cannot but conclude that the decision given today is the end result of the action taken by BirdLife (Malta). The fact that BirdLife (Malta) was the first to break the news of the Decision to the general public and seems to have had information even ahead of the Government itself, is indeed quite significant, " the federation said.