[WATCH] Busuttil’s, PN position on spring hunting will be known ‘after internal discussion’

PN leader says party yet to discuss position on spring hunting

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil and the Nationalist Party are yet to take a position on the spring hunting abrogative referendum as the party's first meeting on the matter has been called for tomorrow.

Replying to journalists' questions on the matter, the PN leader said the party respected the fact that the referendum was taking place, "as a tool with which the people's voice will be heard".

"We respect the fact that it is going to take place because the people can have their say. The Nationalist Party's track record on the matter is public and known. What is not yet known is our position on the matter at hand, which will soon be made public," he said.

Refusing to say what his personal position was, Busuttil argued that a declared position before the PN's meeting "would not allow room for an open discussion".

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who enjoys an electoral mandate on spring hunting, has already declared himself in favour of Malta's application of the derogation and has also declared that his Labour party would enjoy a free vote.

"I feel that Muscat has jumped the gun," Busuttil said, reiterating that it should have been the President of the Republic to set a date. The government has since published the legal advice of the Attorney General, advising government that a decision should be taken by the Cabinet according to the Constitution. The referendum law on its own says it should be the President who decides the date.

The PN leader insisted that "irrespective of what Muscat says", the decision should have been taken by the President, adding that the AG "gave the advice" the government wanted.

Busuttil said that a referendum was the highest form of expression in a direct democracy: "We have defended this right even when last year the Prime Minister wanted to cancel the local council elections to have a standalone referendum, so that the turnout would be low and the result invalid."