Updated at 11.45am: Adds FAA statement

Partit Demokratiku has tabled a parliamentary motion against a Legal Notice which controversially increases hunting and trapping hours at the Majjistral Park.

The motion, co-signed by MPs Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia, notes that the park is a protected area of public interest where many visitors go to enjoy the beautiful, natural and quiet setting, and to experience its ecological, socio-cultural and recreational values.

A federation of NGOs said the government's unilateral decision to extend the hours for bird hunting and trapping at Majjistral Park has effectively turned the facility into a glorified hunting reserve.

The PD motion notes and deplores the fact that the Environment Ministry breached the Environment Protection Act with the legal notice.

It says the law clearly stated that any such regulations "shall not be made unless a draft of the said regulations has been issued for public consultation thereby allowing any person a period of at least four weeks to make representations to the minister or the authority or to both, stating how in his opinion the proposed regulations could be improved to reach their ultimate aim."

The motion can be read in the pdf link below.

FAA files freedom of information request

Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar has filed a Freedom of Information request for a copy of the impact assessment framework for subsidiary legislation, completed by the ministry before the publication of the legal notice extending hunting and trapping hours at the park.

FAA said this form had to be compiled before any subsidiary legislation was enacted and should include a description of the environmental, social and other impacts that the proposed legislation was expected to have.

The environmental NGO asked "Were the risks correctly assessed in this form? Or was it not compiled at all?"