Hunting: Preparing for a showdown year?

It was Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi who raised the prospect of Malta paying the price for the hunters’ political blackmail, when he expressed his willingness to go back to the European Court of Justice over the issue of spring hunting in order to defend Malta’s rights despite “the risk of incurring millions of euros in fines.” 

“We can’t base our decision to defend our rights on whether there is a risk of paying fines or not. We will try to find a solution with the Commission. However, we are prepared to go all the way if we think we are right,” Gonzi said in October.

He went on to make the ludicrous claim that Malta had won the first case against the Commission over spring hunting.

But the court’s conclusion in fact stated: “it must be held that, by having authorised the opening of a hunting season for quails and turtle doves during the spring of 2004 to 2007, without complying with the conditions laid down in Article 9(1) of the Directive, the Republic of Malta has failed to fulfil its obligations under that directive.”

In fact, the only concession made in Malta’s case was the court’s acknowledgement that an autumn hunting season is not a satisfactory alternative to spring.

This argument was used by the government to justify the opening of a very limited spring hunting season in 2010.

The government’s decision to unilaterally open a six-day hunting season was described by Birdlife Malta as a “farce”, while hunters described it as “obscene” and “ridiculous.” 

But the argument that hunting in autumn is not an adequate alternative to spring was based on carnet the chasse figures collected in 2007. But statistics published by MEPA in October showed that 22,000 quails were caught by hunters in Autumn 2008.  These statistics are bound to weaken Malta’s case in the European court.

The government is now proposing a three-week hunting season from next year, with a hunting bag limit of 25,000 birds.

However, the European Commission has made it clear that this is unacceptable, and that it will take the Maltese government back to court if it proceeds in this direction.

While the government risked paying nothing following the first decision, it now risks incurring fines simply for defending an unpopular hobby during an economic recession.

But instead of criticising the government for risking massive fines to support a legally contentious activity, the Labour opposition has played ball.

A working group set up between the Labour Party and hunters’ lobby FKNK is currently examining existing hunting and trapping regulations in view of European law, and intends to draw up “amendments to the regulations in line with the country’s unique realities and necessities.”

Labour MEP John Attard Montalto has been made a ‘Life Honorary President’ by hunters lobby FKNK for his work to safeguard ‘Maltese socio-cultural traditions.’

It seems as if not even the threat of fines will be enough to quell one of Malta’s most durable political romances.

The lobby no one ignores

Lino Farrugia is a tall and angry man. He has personified the hunting lobby for over a decade: he is a traditional, old-fashioned hunter who has always argued that Malta could have lobbied with the EU over spring hunting. As an extremist, he has defended hunting in Malta even though year after year, hunters have constantly flouted the law.

In 2004 in retaliation against ‘broken promises’ he decided to stand for the European Parliamentary elections. But he failed miserably, garnering less than 3,500 votes.

Instead of taking advantage of the broken hunting lobby, both Lawrence Gonzi and Joseph Muscat have bowed down to it; Muscat being aware than more hunters are potential labourite voters.

Indeed, most politicians still appear close to the hunting lobby and refuse to take them on directly.

Farrugia remains adamant that he will get his way, but the writing is on the wall.  Hunting as we know it will end. It is not a question of how, but when.