Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/448091
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 18 JANUARY 2015 4 News Personalities call on public to 'shout' and get spring hunting out TV presenter and animal activist Moira Delia, MaltaToday managing editor Saviour Balzan and former BirdLife president Joseph Mangion were the faces of the conservationist lobby that yesterday announced the 'Shout – Spring Hunting Out' cam- paign to abolish spring hunting. Describing it as a "movement for a better Malta" at a packed hall at St James Cavalier, campaign coordina- tor Romina Tolu said that over the next three months, the Shout cam- paign will give voters all the informa- tion they need to vote 'no' to spring hunting on 11 April. The campaigners successfully pe- titioned Malta's constitutional court with over 40,000 signatures, de- manding an abrogative referendum on whether Malta's derogation from the EU's Birds Directive, which bans hunting in spring, should remain part of the country's legislation. The referendum will be held on 11 April. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has stated that he will vote to retain the derogation, which member states are entitled to use in accordance with strict criteria. Simon Busuttil yesterday took Muscat's stand and said he would vote to retain hunting in spring. Fashion stylist Carina Camilleri, cartoonist Seb Tanti Burlo, musi- cian Renzo Spiteri, radio DJ Frank Zammit, nosnow/noalps frontman Nick Morales and other Maltese per- sonalities joined Balzan, Delia and Mangion on stage one by one to de- clare their intention to vote 'no' on 11 April. Joseph Mangion said that Malta was the only country in the EU to allow recreational hunting of mi- grating birds in spring. "It makes no sense to kill birds on their way north to lay eggs and raise their young. The birds that arrive in Malta are on the last stretch of a long journey and are the best of their species. "We would all see and hear many more birds in Malta if we stop spring hunting, making Malta a better place to live." When asked who will be fronting the campaign, Mangion said to rap- turous applause: "The people will be fronting the campaign". "We have trusted the politicians and time and again they have let us down. It is now the people's deci- sion," Mangion said. "Some people will vote along party lines, but the Maltese nation are a people who love nature and animals and I am sure they will vote to pro- tect them." He also said that the abolition of spring hunting would give people access to a countryside presently oc- cupied by hunters. Moira Delia called out against any form of intimidation. "As a citizen I must express my opinion without fear. Intimidation has no place in this campaign." She said that hunters stop people from enjoying the countryside in spring, the best time of year. "Enjoy- ing the countryside is important for our health, it makes us feel happy and relaxed. We all have a right to enjoy a walk with our families without the fear of gunshots or intimidation. It's your countryside too." MaltaToday managing editor Sav- iour Balzan, a former BirdLife activ- ist, said that Maltese people were entitled to enjoy the countryside without being intimidated and bul- lied by hunters. "We have the will to make this happen, in spite of political affiliations, differences in opinions – go out and vote no. Politicians feared taking a decision when they didn't need to. The majority of Maltese who are law-abiding and non-violent had no strength, but now we have that strength." Balzan said that the surveys showed a clear support to end spring hunt- ing, and encouraged people to vote 'no' in the 11 April referendum. He also dismissed as "complete nonsense" hunters' claims that the referendum would mean an end to other traditions. "A referendum such as this can only abolish existing laws. There is a specific law which permits spring hunting, and this referendum allows the people to vote to have it removed. An abrogative referendum cannot be applied to other things, since there are no laws allowing fireworks, fes- tas, horse racing and other activi- ties. There are only laws controlling them. A referendum on these mat- ters is impossible." Balzan also said that it was untrue that other EU states were derogating from the Birds Directive. "They are allowed to shoot birds, not for hunt- ing purposes but, for example, for safety purposes around airports." He also said that Maltese hunters already hunt from September until January, and that they were trying to deceive people into believing their rights were being eroded. He added that the three English language newspapers, The Times, The Malta Independent and Mal- taToday had decided to take a com- mon editorial stand. "Let us break with the past and this cycle of hunters' bullying, intimida- tion and frightening people, once and for all. It's time to vote 'no' and shout to get spring hunting out." The abolition of spring hunting would give people access to a countryside which is presently occupied by hunters Malta the only country in the EU to allow recreational hunting in spring Musicians, TV personalities and journalists unite under the SHOUT banner and encourage the public to vote "No" and abolish spring hunting to live." and I am sure they will vote to pro- Conservationists at yesterday's launch of the 'Shout – Spring Hunting Out' campaign to abolish spring hunting