Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/448091
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 JANUARY 2015 3 News Simon Busuttil to support spring hunting, MPs given free vote MIRIAM DALLI OPPOSITION leader Simon Bu- suttil will be supporting the hunters in the 11 April referendum and will be allowing his party a free vote. Busuttil's decision comes a week after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat took the same position, arguing that a Labour government had an elec- toral mandate to continue applying the derogation on spring hunting. Addressing journalists at the par- ty's headquarters, Busuttil said he was not a hunter but an environ- mentalist and an animal lover. "I was personally involved in the ne- gotiations and fighting for Malta's right to derogate from the EU's ban on spring hunting. The PN and my- self have repeatedly defended this derogation both in Malta and Brus- sels. "I will vote in favour of the law because I am consistent with my position. Joseph Muscat will vote in favour of the derogation because he is an opportunist. I am against environmental abuse and I want to see controlled and limited hunting. Abusive hunters will not find refuge in our party." Busuttil's decision comes after the PN held "wide and lengthy discus- sions" which included five organs within the party. The discussion took place this week and the PN agreed that the abrogative refer- endum was a democratic tool and citizens should be allowed to voice their opinion. According to the PN leader, the discussion was held because the PN was not "a communist party where the leader decides for everyone else". In explaining why the Nationalist government had pushed for a dero- gation, Busuttil argued that the PN had wanted to see Malta in the EU: "But with the PL pushing against the EU referendum, there was a risk that the vote would not have passed. Would we have joined the EU without obtaining the deroga- tion? Could be, but the risk was too high." He said that the PN believed eve- ryone should enjoy his passion as long as the law was not broken and the environment was protected. "We obtained the derogation be- cause we wanted to secure a bal- anced formula between the pro- tection of the environment and controlled hunting. A balance be- tween enjoying one's passion and protecting the environment." Busuttil also blamed Joseph Mus- cat for the abrogative referendum set to take place in three months' time, and accused him of taking hunters for a ride. The PN leader said civil society would have never called for an abrogative referendum "if Muscat hadn't broken down the effectiveness of enforcement during the spring hunting season". "Joseph Muscat used the hunters in the same way he used the envi- ronmentalists and broke the bal- ance enjoyed for 10 years for his own political convenience. Now he will be forced to vote for the same derogation the PN got." With trust ratings showing Bu- suttil lagging behind Muscat, the Opposition leader denied his deci- sion had anything to do with survey results. "It is too early to interpret any survey results. It also depends on how the political parties will tackle the campaign even though both the PN and Labour have said there will be no political campaigning on the issue," he said, when asked whether he had a survey suggesting a win for the hunting lobby. Police to deport men living in Hal Far asbestos pipes A police raid early yesterday at 6:30am led to the arrest of eight ir- regular migrants who were living out in the open in Hal Far, using as shelter the huge asbestos pipes that have for years lain in the fields nearby. Police said that the men had of- ficial documents issued by the Ital- ian authorities, and had travelled to Malta via catamaran from Sicily. Because they were living close to the Hal Far open centre, it is under- stood that the migrants living at the centre may have also provided them with food. Five men were of Ghanaian na- tionality and two others were Togo nationals. Another man was a Span- ish national. Their documents were verified by the police. "Since these men have no means to sustain themselves and are liv- ing rough, the Immigration Police is preparing to deport them back to the country where their residence permit was issued from. They are currently in police custody." During the raid the police found small cookers, clothes and sheets. ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TILES ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN TILES PN leader says 'limited and controlled hunting' is a balance between environmentalists and hunting enthusiasts Simon Busuttil: "I will vote in favour of the law because I am consistent"