Malta questioned in European Parliament on bird hunting
MEP Anja Hazekamp called on the Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the European Parliament to ban the horrific hunting of migratory birds. Hazekamp made her call during Malta’s first debate as EU President.
According to nature organisations, Malta kills over one hundred thousand birds during the hunting seasons in spring and autumn. Malta cannot make a credible commitment to animal welfare as long as Muscat, as EU President, allows this bird hunting, according to Hazekamp.
“Millions of migratory birds come to rest in Malta on their route. But the rest is hard to find. The autumn hunt on dozens of types of birds is currently still going strong. And if Malta refuses to take action, hunters will again kill ten thousands of European turtle doves and quails. Other internationally protected and endangered birds too fall prey to these hunters during hunting. Member states and nature organisations put in a lot of time and money to protect our birds, but that is cancelled out immediately by Malta. The Maltese witch-hunt for birds is unacceptable and is in conflict with international protection treaties. It’s up to Malta: “Does it want to be seen as a beautiful Mediterranean birds paradise or as a killer island for killer hunters?” according to Hazekamp.
The Party for the Animals raised the subject of bird hunting in Malta before to the European Commission. The Party also committed itself to safeguarding the European Birds Directive, which should protect birds in Europe against hunting, with its action ‘No Censorship on Nature’.