Engerer: Malta ‘bullied by larger countries’ over hunting
Interviewed by Illum, the former Nationalist deputy mayor says the Opposition has regressed under Simon Busuttil’s leadership.
16 March 2014, 12:31pm
James J. Piscopo
James J. Piscopo
2 min read
Labour MEP candidate Cyrus Engerer
MEP hopeful Cyrus Engerer has described the EU’s restrictions on Maltese hunters as an example of discrimination against Malta because it is a small state.
In an interview with Illum, Cyrus Engerer said that Malta was being ‘bullied’ by larger countries to adopt a strict approach on hunting, pointing out that Malta had just two derogations on the Birds Directive while the UK had more than 1,800.
Spring hunting is banned by the Birds Directive, and derogating from the ban must fulfil strict conditions.
I’m not a hunter and I will never be one. I did what I believed to be the best in the national interest, as I did on other occasions Cyrus Engerer
“Maltese hunters cannot shoot on particular birds, but when these arrive in other territories such as Sicily they end up being shot by Italian hunters. What sense does it make? It’s not a question of shooting down birds, it’s a question of Malta being considered equal, with the same rights enjoyed by other member states,” Engerer said.
The Labour MEP hopeful was on the receiving end last week when he collected 1,600 signatures in favour of a petition organised by the hunting lobby.
He promptly says that the signatures collected were intended "to safeguard the rights of minorities", and was not specifically limited to hunting.
“I’m not a hunter and I will never be one. I did what I believed to be the best in the national interest, as I did on other occasions such as the divorce referendum and Malta’s accession to the EU,” Engerer said.
An LGBT-rights activist, Engerer notes with satisfaction the progress made in just a year under Labour, with gay rights in Malta now equal to other countries in Europe.
“It was unacceptable that the last thing in favour of LGBT people dated back to 1972 with the decriminalisation of homosexuality. The country needed politicians who were in touch with society’s needs.”
He underlines that a change in mentality comes gradually but a change in legislation was promptly needed to safeguard LGBT people against discrimination.
Regards child adoptions by gay couples, Engerer says he understood public concern about the child’s interest, but noted that studies showed the child’s interest was affected by the method of their upbringing and not by the family structure.
