Muscat: I will uphold referendum result, will not tolerate hunting breaches

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has declared he will not tolerate any breaches of the law if the Maltese vote ‘no’ to end the derogation from the EU ban on spring hunting on 11 April.

Muscat said on One Radio that he will fully uphold the result and declared that he would tolerate “no breach of law, whatever the result of the referendum.”

Voters on Saturday have to vote whether they agree that the Maltese government derogates from an EU ban on spring hunting. The Ornis Committee, which regulates the hunting season, has already recommended the opening of a new spring hunting season if the referendum passes.

“I have stopped hunting in autumn due to illegalities… the last protest by hunters was against me, so I am not going to be one to be shirk my duties in this matter… I will respect Sunday’s result. If the people vote ‘yes’, the legal notice for hunting will be issued, but I will not tolerate any illegalities, otherwise I will close the season,” Muscat said.

“If the people say ‘no’, I will see that there is no hunting in spring and whoever contravenes this order will face disciplinary steps.”

Muscat also accused Opposition leader Simon Busuttil of hiding from the press in a bid to avoid questions on the alleged works-for-votes carried out for private constituents at the behest of the husband of former Gozo minister Giovanna Debono, a civil servant. “Mr Transparency is nowhere to be seen… and the people are judging him over the fact that he is hiding away from scrutiny.”

Muscat reiterated the need for a ‘game-changer’ in road transport, ruling out any toll booths on roads, but saying that Transport Malta and Project Malta were looking for private sector finance for a pilot project on transport.

Malta has submitted a proposal for a monorail project involving over-ground and underground lines running North-South and West-East for financing from the

European Investment Bank and a new EU fund at a cost of $1.49 billion.