Hunters target Saviour Balzan’s role in EU accession negotiations

The Yes campaign has taken issue at the fact that SHout spokesperson Saviour Balzan, managing editor of MaltaToday, had formed part of Malta’s negotiation team for EU accession on the environment chapter in the acquis commaunitaire.

In a reply to SHout’s concerns over the sustainability of spring hunting, the No campaign and hunters targeted Saviour Balzan, claiming he had been “handsomely paid to secure a spring hunting season” during the negotiations for EU accession back in 2002.

“At these negotiations, on 11th July 2002, Balzan had insisted as documented hereunder: ‘The migration of turtle doves and quails in autumn is insignificant and if spring hunting was to be banned that would spell the end of hunting on the Maltese islands.’ At the same negotiations’ meeting, Balzan had also explained the deeply rooted cultural element that the legitimate activity of hunting represents in Malta.”

Yes spokesperson Daniel Xriha said that the No campaign’s credibility had been “totally drained” and alleged that Balzan’s “lack of principles is evidently manifest in accordance with the employer.”

In a reaction, Balzan said the Yes campaign’s statement was defamatory in his regard, saying that his views on hunting had been unchanged.

Balzan said he was employed as a technical officer for the environment ministry, on a fixed salary as his main income at the time. “I did not carry out the negotiations, which were led by Richard Cachia Caruana and his team. As everybody knows, I was not somebody trusted by Cachia Caruana – more like the opposite.”

Balzan said that Malta’s accession treaty had stipulated the end of spring hunting in Malta, unless a clear justification was provided to the European Commission.

“This is a fact written black on white, something that led to Lino Farrugia’s candidature for the European Parliament [in 2004] because of this phasing-out period.”

Balzan said that the derogation from the EU’s Birds Directive, which bans spring hunting, is applied by governments and does not get ‘negotiated’.

“In 2004 the government derogated from the ban at a time when I was a full-time journalist and no longer employed in government.

“I have been consistent in my views on the environment and hunting. The statement that I have changed my views according to who pays me is defamatory. I am not being paid to speak or work in favour of the No campaign against spring hunting, and I reserve my right to take legal steps.”