International news agencies react to spring hunting referendum

 The results of last Saturday’s spring hunting referendum has inevitably dominated local media, but it has also captured the attention of various international news agencies. The “historic referendum,” as it was termed by British newspaper, The Guardian, was won by the pro-hunting lobby to strong reactions spreading all over social media like wildfire. The #maltaslaughter and #boycotmalta dominated Twitter-feeds throughout the day on Sunday and Newspapers reported the news just as strongly.

Brussels based newspaper EU Observer reported that “bird killing” would continue after the “referendum aimed at banning the annual hunt was defeated… by a narrow margin of 2,200 votes.”

British newspaper The Guardian reported that polls ahead of voting had indicated “a six-point lead for conservationists, who backed a ban.” The paper also quoted chief executive for the League Against Cruel Sports in the UK Joe Duckworth saying that the result would allow the “cruel and unnecessary carnage” to continue.

 “It is time for the Maltese government to demonstrate that it is determined to stamp out illegal hunting. Enforcement must be improved and strengthened so that illegal hunters are caught and punished appropriately” Duckworth said.

The BBC News website reported Federation for Hunting and Conservation’s (FKNK) Joe Perici Calascione describing spring hunting as "an integral part" of the hunting tradition in Malta.  It also quoted Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s comments that the referendum had given a final chance to hunters when the season begins on Tuesday and that any abuses by them would not be tolerated.

Russian news agency Sputnik informed that Malta part of the EU Birds’ Directive that bans spring hunting and trapping.

“However, the country has used the right of derogation, rejecting the clauses on spring hunting. In 2008, the European Union accused Malta of breaching the legislation by allowing quail and turtle dove hunting in spring,” the paper continues. “Malta remains the only EU country where recreational spring hunting is allowed,” it continued stressing that Malta's hunting supporters had gathered 51% of the vote at the referendum.

The eTurboNews Group pointed out that “despite consistent pleas to stop the massacre of migratory birds during the spring season in Malta, only 49% of the electorate voted against this activity in a referendum on the islands yesterday.”

 The agency continued pointing out that one of the problems with hunting today in Malta and Gozo has not only been the fact that it is simply a blood sport without any real reason or rationale, “but also the fact that vast areas of the ever decreasing rural environment are closed off for this sport to the public. Ramblers, Hikers, nature lovers and eco tourists find it difficult to plan out interesting walks because of these restrictions on public land,” it added explaining that the Maltese government will all have to ensure that the idyllic islands in the Mediterranean maintain their attractiveness for the cultural tourist during the spring and mild winter periods.