[WATCH] Government will defend finch trapping derogation, Environment Minister says

Government will defend bird trapping despite the European Commission’s stern warning that court action will follow if Malta does not stop the practice, the Environment Minister said.

Aaron Farrugia said this was not the first time that the Commission warned Malta but government will continue fighting for what it believes in.

“This is not something that falls within my remit but the government believes that what it is doing is just and it will fight for and defend its position with the Commission,” Farrugia said.

He was talking to MaltaToday a week after Brussels issued a strong warning against the derogation applied by Malta last autumn for finch trapping to take place on the premise of research.

Brussels did not buy into the Maltese government’s justification and warned that unless trapping was stopped it would pursue the case at the European Court of Justice.

Hunting does not fall within the purview of the Environment Ministry but was assigned to Clint Camilleri, the Gozo Minister, last year.

Malta had opened a controlled finch trapping season the previous year but this derogation was shot down by the European Court of Justice.

In its letter to the Maltese government the Commission noted that the derogation applied by Malta for finch trapping to take place for research purposes was no different to the exception sought the previous year, which was condemned by the ECJ.

Trapping is illegal under the Bird’s Directive.

READ ALSO: Malta must stop finch trapping as Brussels sees through ‘research’ ploy