The government insisted today that the opening of the spring hunting season is in line with the judgement of the European Court of Justice.

Replying to a statement by BirdLife Malta, it pointed out that the court had said that:

"60 In the present case, it is apparent ... ... that, in the autumn hunting seasons of the years in question, hunters were able to capture only an inconsiderable number of birds."

"62 Finally, it is not apparent from the documents in the case that the population of the two species of bird hunted is below a satisfactory level. It is apparent, in particular, from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species that the species in question are listed in the ‘least concern' category.

"63 Having regard to those very specific circumstances, hunting for quails and turtle doves during the autumn hunting season cannot be regarded as constituting, in Malta, another satisfactory solution, so that the condition that there be no other satisfactory solution, laid down in Article 9(1) of the Directive, should, in principle, be considered met."

The government added that the European Commission agreed with the Maltese Government that the said finding of the Court accepted that the opening of a Spring Hunting Season in Malta is in principle justified, provided that proportionality is maintained.

"The rigorous conditions under which the 2010 Spring Season in Malta has been opened respect the requirement of proportionality as required by the court," the government said.