SHout campaign counters ten 'facts' presented by pro-hunting lobby

SHout campaign representatives address a press conference in Hamrun

Twelve days ahead of the spring hunting referendum, the SHout campaign presented ten facts that counter arguments made by the pro-hunting lobby.

Speaking in Hamrun, a locality that will be voting on its local council, Saviour Balzan and Moira Delia urged voters to head to the polls on 11 April while keeping in mind the truth about spring hunting.

The ‘Equal in Europe’ slogan is inaccurate, according to campaigners, because nowhere in Europe is spring hunting allowed.

Similarly, no European derogation applies to the spring hunting for quail and turtledove. Most derogations apply to completely unrelated sectors such as airport activity.

Stating that Malta had negotiated a hunting derogation was also incorrect – the derogation referred to the fact that the Birds Directive had to be respected.

The threat to other minorities is similarly hollow – a referendum can only change existing laws. If a law does not regulate a minority activity then it cannot be abolished by means of a referendum. Judge Giovanni Bonello had confirmed this in a press conference held earlier this year.

Referendum costs should not be considered a factor when dealing with democratic rights. Similarly, it is incorrect to state that hunters are funding the referendum through their licence fees – licences for spring hunting are obtained at no charge.

In claiming that there was a never a suspension of the spring hunting season, SHout campaigners drew attention to the legal notice issued by the government, in 1993/1994. The legal notice restricted hunting and suspended trapping altogether. The result was a series of protests, destruction and vandalism, including on the megalithic temples. One positive result was an increase in species breeding in Malta.

Both political parties have urged voters to make use of their freedom to choose how to vote.

Finally, on the issue of hunters being tolerant, SHout recalled the many past transgressions of the hunting community, pointing out that people show their true colours not by words but by actions.