Ramblers back AD's call for spring hunting referendum

The Ramblers' Association welcomed Alternattiva Demokratika's initiative to kick-start a referendum campaign to abolish spring hunting.

"We feel that this step is complementary to, and gives more weight to, the appeal by BirdLife and NGOs which was a laudable first step in the same direction."

It added that AD's move also gives more credence to the intention because action is being taken to ensure that the referendum will take place if the appeal is not heeded.

"It indirectly sets a timeframe for the process," the association said.

"Not permitting the massacre of migrating birds in Spring will not only satisfy  the majority of the people, it will also bring us truly in line with the EU's Birds Directive and thus save successive governments, who covet the votes of lobbies, the embarrassment of forcing them to ask for derogations."