[WATCH] Mario Galea on caged animals: PN’s position is ‘no place in Malta for exotic animals’

Nationalist MP Mario Galea has said the official position of the Nationalist Party is that exotic animals have no place in cages and in Malta.

Galea was asked on Friday to clarify whether his stand on exotic animals and zoos reflected the PN’s own position after he called for immediate regulation of zoos in parliament this week.

“I have been repeating this since 2013 under three leaders and no one ever censored me. Until anyone comes up with an alternative, this is the official position of the Nationalist Party. I spoke with the experts in this field, and should anyone come up with a better alternative, we should have discussions on the matter,” Galea stated.

Government has proposed the prohibition of big-cat cub petting at zoos in a White Paper published last October. But just 24 hours later, the clause was removed, following outrage by zookeeper and known Labour adherent Anton Cutajar. Zoo regulations have so far remained the same despite the White Paper proposals, with government saying the feedback is still being analysed.

Mario Galea alleged that the Labour government had retracted the White Paper after being bullied by “someone close to the party”, in a clear reference to Cutajar. Galea said the government had lost control over the issue and that nobody knows where it stood.

He congratulated Commissioner for Animal Welfare Alison Bezzina for her work and said that it does not make sense that she does not have any executive rights. He called for more resources, in order for the investigations to be better sustained.

Galea was addressing a press conference alongside MP Edwin Vassallo as a reaction to the budget estimates of the agriculture ministry that has under its remit animal welfare.