Hunters' petition tabled in parliament

Parliamentary secretary for planning Michael Falzon has tabled in parliament a petition by the hunters calling for changes to the Referenda Act in a bid to block the spring hunting abrogative referendum.

According to hunting lobby FKNK, the hunters’ petition has garnered over 104,293 signatures.

Falzon was the only MP to accept to present the petition on behalf of the hunters. The Nationalist Party has declared itself against “any attempt at stopping the nation from expressing itself” on any subject upon which enough signatures for an abrogative referendum have been collected.

“It was the PN itself that introduced legislation to allow people to call for an abrogative referendum, which is why the Opposition will not join Michael Falzon in presenting this petition to parliament,” the Opposition yesterday said in a statement.

Presenting the petition in parliament, Falzon said he was defending the rights of a minority group.

With a passion for hunting himself, Falzon said he had not practiced hunting in a long time. He however argued that “no one should be treated as a second class citizen”.