Momentum: Public safety sacrificed for hunting lobby interests

Momentum slammed government for prioritising the private interests of the hunting lobby over public safety, saying people should not have to risk their lives to enjoy Malta’s countryside.

The situation is made worse, it said, by an agreement reached between government and the hunting lobby earlier this year to reduce certain penalties and open the door for people handed lifetime hunting bans to regain their licences.

Momentum also called on the Nationalist Party to clearly state its position on reducing hunting penalties and potentially reversing lifetime bans, noting that the opposition has also made commitments to hunters.

This comes after three separate incidents were reported in September in which members of the public were allegedly put at risk by hunting activities, which Momentum said should serve as a “serious wake-up call” for government.

The party recalled an incident in which a woman was struck by three shotgun pellets while walking her dog near Fort Campbell, another in which a cyclist was hit by shotgun pellets along the Victoria Lines, and a third in which a hunter was reported to have fired at a bird just metres away from people in the same area.

Momentum Executive Member Alastair Farrugia questioned where government rangers and officers responsible for enforcing hunting regulations had been during these incidents.

He also asked how many inspections are being carried out in areas shared by hunters and members of the public, and how many reports of dangerous or illegal hunting practices ultimately result in prosecutions.

Momentum said that people walking their dogs, parents out for a walk, cyclists and anyone else enjoying Malta’s rural areas should not have to worry about being struck by shotgun pellets.

“The countryside belongs to everyone,” Momentum said. “The government has a responsibility to ensure that people can use the countryside safely.”