The government has agreed to a watered-down motion put forward by the Nationalist Party on Majjistral Park's hunting times.
The amendment calls for consultation with all stakeholders following a controversial decision which allowed hunters and trappers to use the park for extended periods of time.
There was a huge outcry when the hours in force for hunting and trapping were extended in September, October and November from 10am to 12.30pm, except for Wednesdays and public holidays, when the time remains 10am.
In December and January, the time limit would also remain unchanged at 10am. For trappers, the time was extended to 2.30pm for the whole of the open season.
Read: Extended hunting, trapping times at Majjistral Park
Partit Demokratiku MPs Marlene Farrugia and Godfrey Farrugia subsequently presented a private members' motion at the end of November asking for Legal Notice 300 to be repealed and for the extended hunting and trapping hours in the Majjistral Nature and History Park Site to revert to what they were before.
Nationalist Party MPs David Agius, Robert Arrigo and Robert Cutajar subsequently proposed that rather than revert to the original times, there should be consultation given that the members of the Majjistral board - Nature Trust, Gaia Foundation and Din l-Art Ħelwa - had objected to the extended hours.
Godfrey Farrugia said in Parliament that this amendment was a step backwards from the PD motion, as it would not lead to any change.
"It is a gimmick characteristic of the confusion under the new leadership of the Nationalist Party, which tries to please everyone (jridu jghaqdu l-Alla u x-xitan fl-istess hin)" he said.
'PL-PN united against environment' - PD
His party said much the same in a statement issued on Monday afternoon which accused the country's two major parties of being "one party united against the environment."
"Despite the PD's attempts, it is clear that DeliaPN and JM PL are willing to work hand-in-hand not to achieve a balance between environmental protection and use of Majjistral Park, but rather to reduce the amount of time the public is able to enjoy the park in absolute peace," the party said.
'Rational politics' - PL
In a statement, the Labour Party said it had no objection to the PN amendment as this changed nothing of the legal notice currently in force.
It augured that the PN opposition would follow its lead and "abandon the negative politics that continue to govern it".
BirdLife disappointed
In a reaction, BirdLife Malta said both major political parties did not have the courage to put the national interest before that of their party
"While striking a balance is commendable, in a site such as Majjistral Park we need nature to be safeguarded and not biodiversity being destroyed."
It said that in parliament, Environment Minister Jose' Herrera did not have the courage to state his own opinion but only repeated the decision taken by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat.
"It is also disappointing that members of Parliament from the Nationalist Opposition benches who agreed with BirdLife Malta’s position and that of other eNGOs in this particular case did not have the courage to voice their opinions in front of PN leader Adrian Delia.
"It is a pity that today once again the two major political parties showed that they do not have the courage to put the national interest before that of their party with regards to enviromental issues!" BirdLife said.