Government replied to BirdLife's warrant of prohibitory injunction, Gozo Minister confirms

Updated at 2pm with State Advocate request and BirdLife reaction  

The government has filed a reply to the warrant of prohibitory injunction requested by Birdlife after the latter “failed to meet the requirements for issuing a mandate,” Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri confirmed on Tuesday night.

“The Maltese Government has today submitted its detailed response to Birdlife Malta's injunction which was provisionally met by the Court yesterday,” said Camilleri in a Facebook post.

BirdLife Malta filed a request for a prohibitory injunction in Court against the Maltese government, on Monday, preventing it from issuing the legal notice that effectively would open a spring hunting season for the Turtle-dove, which has a vulnerable status.

The request, signed by lawyers Dr Claire Bonello and Dr Martin Farrugia, was provisionally upheld by Mr Justice Giovanni Grixti.

A similar warrant of prohibitory injunction was filed last year by BirdLife. In this latest injunction, the request is to stop a legal notice from being issued, whereas the 2022 request was filed after the legal notice was published.

The Government argued that with such requirements were not met, the Court should reject BirdLife’s request.

In addition, the Government requested the Court through an application to direct that the hearing for these proceedings take place much sooner than 18 April.

“I believe that no manoeuvre should deprive people of what they voted for. What is ours, must remain ours,” reiterated Camilleri.

Government through the state advocate has requested the date of the sitting be brought forward before the 7 April, given the hunting season opens on 18 April.

BirdLife Malta reaction

In his reaction, BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana said the government’s request was unnecessary.

“We are used to being bullied when it comes to environment but we never thought the same attitude would be used towards the law courts,” Sultana said. “There is no urgency since the hunting season for the Turtle Dove is supposed to open as from the 17 April."