[WATCH] Busuttil – ‘More than a suspicion that Labour has agreement with hunters’
Nationalist deputy leader warns hunters that Commission will come down on spring hunting if Labour government allows generous concessions.
1 March 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
3 min read
MEP Simon Busuttil warned hunters that the Commission will not hesitate to stop a derogation that is not buttressed by strict conditions.
Nationalist deputy leader Simon Busuttil said Malta's hunting lobby should be wary of giving in to Labour advances that might lead to the European Commission clamping down get again on Malta's derogation from the EU's spring hunting ban.
"It is more than a suspicion that there is some sort of agreement with hunters," Busuttil said when asked by MaltaToday whether he believed the Labour Party had entered into an understanding with the FKNK, which this week accused Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of wanting to abolish spring hunting.
"I appeal to hunters to pay attention - they could lose the spring hunting season because if under Labour, hunters are allowed to do anything they want, the EU will block the derogation."
Busuttil, who was on a tour of Sliema shops earlier today, said Labour was tailoring its message according to its audience: "Labour tells environmentalists it will respect environmental laws, and also tells hunters they will 'give them their traditional hobby back'... my message to hunters is that if there is a risk for the spring hunting season we managed to safeguard in the Court of Justice, it's Labour in government, because going by what is being said, letting [hunters] do what they want will land us back in court, and the spring season will end."
The Nationalist Party has denied "false" allegations by hunters' lobby FKNK that the party wanted to abolish hunting and trapping in a referendum on spring hunting.
FKNK secretary-general Lino Farrugia on Friday gave the most public of indications that the hunting lobby will be pushing for a Labour vote, in a statement accusing Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi of favouring a referendum to abolish spring hunting.
"The PN is in favour of sustainable hunting and trapping within the parameters of law, and we deny the false allegation that we want to abolish hunting in a referendum.
"The Prime Minister said he respects Maltese laws on referenda which allows a minimum of 10% of eligible voters to ask that an abrogative referendum be held. This is a state of fact, whoever is prime minister, unless someone in government changes the law and removes this right," the PN said.
"The facts speak clearly: this government safeguarded the tradition of spring hunting by defending its derogation from the Birds Directive in the European Court of Justice."
Although there is no plan for a referendum on spring hunting in the PN's electoral programme, Lawrence Gonzi's honest reply to whether he would hold such a referendum when asked by Times editor Herman Grech on Tuesday, has riled the hunters' lobby FKNK and the St Hubert Hunters who claim the prime minister wants to abolish spring hunting.
"By not objecting to that possibility, Gonzi is contradicting the signed guarantees Eddie Fenech Adami, Simon Busuttil as head of the Malta-EU Information Centre, and other PN exponents gave to hunters," spokesperson Mark Mifsud Bonnici said, referring to the quick-fire 'yes or no' questions made to both party leaders during the Times debate. Joseph Muscat replied no to a referendum on spring hunting.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
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Simon , the agreement signed with hunters is that the agreement between the UE and Malta is to be rispected in full . But there are derogations that can be applied , and the PL pleged that they will be applied according to the EU hunting laws . If other EU countries can apply derogations , what's wrong if Malta do the same ? Do Maltese hunters have less rights then those in other EU countries ? If BLM & FKNK join forces and cooperate with each other, they can stop illegal hunting .
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Dan mhux li stess persuna li wieghed li l-kacca u l-insib ma kienux ser jitmessu bi thul ta Malta f' l-EU? Ma jiftakarx ftit tal jiem ilu meta dak il-kaccatur iffrontah u wrieh l-ittra iffirmata minnu rigward l-weghda fuq il-kacca! Itmejjel bikhom kaccaturi u nassaba....
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Ara naqra min qed jitkellem!!! Kien l-ewwel bniedem li tnellah bil-kaccaturi!!! Bhall ma dejjem nghidlek simon ibqa sejjer hekk halli anqas u anqas nazzjonalisti jivvutaw lil PN. GRAZZI.
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Listen to Simon the Almighty. Simon of the MIC who trapped your vote with the Derogi. You remember. Ask Saviour Balzan who was in the IVA lobby group. They ran after the Hunters' votes. The PL kept the same stand regarding the hunting and will keep it the same. What the PL is stating is that as Maltese we should be treated at equal level with the rest of the member states. If the hunters want to extend their hunting season, well it is Simon Busuttil who needs to do the crusade for you with the EU.Was it not Simon who was one of those who promised you the promised land?
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I find it hard to understand how pressure groups like the hunting lobby has such a hold on both parties.The Lobby responds to any attempt to outlaw this yearly massacre of migrating birds with threats of law disobedience.These people shoot anything that flies in order to satisfy their Testestrone!!
I suppose the next thing we shall see is the camping lobby who can than invade our Beaches for the whole summer..
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Mr. Simon Busuttil MEP. One would guess that it is better to talk about the spring hunting season than all the corruption and commissions of the last 5 years that has been exposed during this political campaign.
There is a saying that says if during a campaign you enter as a lion at the end you would go out as a lamb and this certainly is the case of the honorable member of the EU.
Malta has watched Mr. Busuttil slowly loosing his inflated ego as this political campaign gets closer to an end.
The political debates are becoming boring now that scare tactics are being employed due to Mr. Busuttil’s realization that he is not suited for this tough position of deputy leader, especially when he was so ill prepared to debate and support political corruption.
He should pack his bags and get back to Brussels where it is better to be seen rather than heard.
The PN has been out muscled, out maneuvered and out classed in this campaign by a PL who found it easier and convenient with an unprepared deputy like Mr. Busuttil, where the new faces are simple dressed up mannequins of a political administration that has worn out its welcome and is stagnated in a stench of mud slinging amongst themselves to deflect a 5 year reign by cabals and oligarchs who managed a deluge of corruption and commissions contracts at the detriment of the Maltese tax payers.
The Enemalta exposure is indefensible and it has stung Mr. Busuttil hard considering the magnitude of its consequences and the only question left to ask Mr. Busuttil is whether he is prepared to be associated with such shame and arrogance if he is elected to the Maltese Parliament?
Surely this is more politically important than the spring hunting season over a few thousand quails and turtle doves?
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How pathetic of Simon. He insults our intelligence. JM said on various occasions that: 1. The present laws will be upheld 2. The Maltese hunters will have what the others in the EU have. 3. No more no less. But typically his arrogance is causing him to disregard his rival and he is admitting that the PN is holding back on EU concessions. I am not a hunter or trapper and I would prefer a hunting free country but I will not begrudge hunters their rights....and nothing else!!
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Look whos talking? Simon you had given these guys a guarantee , like you did to me at Air malta didnt you? Look what happened under your so called democratic party. Liars and Liars i would never vote for liars and clowns like you!!!
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Imma kif ma tisthix inti simon & co. biex titkellem hekk. meta kellkhom bzonn il voti tal kaccaturi battu ittri id dar li jigarantixxu il kacca fir rebbiegha kif kienet u l insib ha jinqa kif inhu anke wara id dhul ta malta fl EU. kien hemm weghda ohra li il licenzji ghal insib ha jergaw jinfethu. Mhux talli ma zdiedux il licenzja tal insib izda anke l insib waqqaftu. X ghandek xi tghid fuq dan simon? Ghaliex kull meta kaccatur cempel l ufficju tieghek tal MIC qatt ma ghidtulhom il verita dwar il kacca. It tradimenti saru min naha tieghek u min naha tal gvern tal PN. Il PL qatt u imkien ma semma li ha jati dak li kellna, kull ma qal hu li ha jghati lil kaccaturi dak li haqqhom bil ligijiet tal EU. Zgur li mhux ha jghamlu bhalkhom biex tintogbu mal barranin taqtaw hmistax nofs ta nhari min settembru, meta l EU QATT ma talbitu dan. Dawn huma it twegibiet li tridu twiegbu simon...
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Jien kont nahseb li b'simon hadu r-ruh ta'gonzipn, imma mort zball. Izjed ma hu qed fiftah halqu, izjed qed itellef voti lil PN. Grazzi Simon!!!
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Hunting is not a front issue in this campaign.....and the election is already locked in. Mr. Busittil is so weak - he brought nothing to the campaign........Gonzi and Busittil will cause the PN to have one of the biggest losses in PN history in the past 40 years. Both Busittil and Gonzi must go in order for the PN to revive itself. Mark my word. What I am saying is totally correct.
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Simon qed nghamillek sfida! Kun ragel ghall darba u ibghat lill kaccaturi u nassaba kollha dak kollu li ghidt u wieghed lill dawn in nies fl-ittra ippublikata minnek u bir ritratt tieghek nhar it 8 ta Ottubru 2002 li dehret fuq it Times.
Priscilla Darmenia •
Simon, ghandek memorja qasira. Insejt li int ghadejthom biz-zmien ghar-referendum tal-EU. Nahseb li kull nassab u kaccatur jiftakar hafna aktar minnek fuq din.
Fabian Psaila •
Assume = Ass + U + ME to make an 'ASS' out of 'U' and 'ME'.
Thus, by assuming we make an ass of not only others but yourselves too.
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What cheek! With the jury still out on the actual responsibility of the huge OIL scandal, this silly fellow is warning us that hunters would be allowed a free hand under Labour's watch. What bl**dy cheek!
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Sur Busuttil ara tahseb li l-kaccaturi u specjalment ahna nsejna bit-tradiment li ghamiltu maghna meta kontu tghidulna li kemm il-kacca u l-insib se jissahhu u mhux ser jintmessi minn kif kienu u ghadda z-zmien, ahna emminniekom u vvotajna ghal EU u wara bdejtu bil-mizuri biex issa waqqaffu l-insib ghal kollox u l-kacca msieken il-kaccaturi dejjem qalbhom intertqa li l-kacca ser tispicca wkoll. Hi kwazi spiccat ghax f'April taqbad 6 summieniet u 6 gamimiet huwa dahq fil-wicc u fil-harifa b'hafna restrizzjonijiet u gamien ma jghaddi xejn. Ghalhekk issa kullma tghidulna fuq dawn id-delizzji ahna ma nistghux nafdawkom iktar, ghalina l-partit li kien l-ghozza taghna u dahaq bina issa spicca ghalina u se nippruvaw ir-refugju l-alternattiva l-ohra l-Partit tal-Labour ghall-ewwel darba f'hajti.
Joseph Pellicano •
"I appeal to hunters to pay attention, look whos talking about promises, you should appeal to hunters, not to take any notice of what you say, people who lie are not credible like you.
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the commission should come heavy on whoever lied to hunters and trappers.
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Simon Il-PL jippermetti dak kollu li l-unjoni ewropeja tippermetti li jsir fil-pajjizi l-oħra tal-istess unjoni ewropeja li jagħmlu . Xejn aktar imma xejn inqas . Dan mhux qed ngħidu għax jiena niprettika il-kaċċa , għax ma nippratikahiex . Dan qed ngħidu għax il-kaċċatur malti ma għandu xejn anqas min dak ewropew . Jew daqshom u bħalhom , jew inkunu lagħqa .
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my dear Simon Busuttil. In the Referendum for the EU and in the 2008 Election, the hunters had a written CONTRACT with the PN and the PN did not honour it after it got the hunters' vote. Now, twice bitten trice shy, Busuttil is trying to scare people that labour has some secret agreement with the hunters. It seems that those who perpetrate secret and written agreements know best about the ins and outs of such deceipt.
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IMMA KIF MOHKOM BIEX TBEZZGHU LILL KULHADD. KUNU DARBA POZITTIVI. DIK MARDA TINTITER, DEJJEM L ISTESS
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what a curiosity simon...the same day that blm says rumours ..so you copied the same story ....joseph muscat says that our hunters must be respect like other eu countries ..so dont be a pupet on the street .....because the last election 2008 pn promise hunters to revive the seasons and nothing happens ,so they can believe you again. ??
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If enough people sign a petition for a referendum it WILL be held, whatever Josephmuscatdotcom says. Hunters should be very careful not to make hunting a partisan issue: it would turn half of Malta against them and signal the end of hunting in Malta. Not that it would be a bad thing.
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"letting [hunters] do what they want will land us back in court, and the spring season will end."
Simon the hunter`s are big boys if they break the derogations and any regulations resulting in the termination of the hunting season for ever then it would be their fault, and their fault alone.
Hunters can be respected and trusted not to shoot themselves in the foot.
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Why does`nt SB send the hunters a letter.
