Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/997322
24 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 24 JUNE 2018 OPINION I think it's fair to say that I have never been their biggest fan... even so, however, I must admit I find it hard not to empathise just a little with the trappers, after this week's ruling by the European Court of Justice. I'll get to the specifics of that ruling later; but in the mean- time, please note I said 'empa- thise'... not 'sympathise'. Big difference, in this context. For it is equally difficult to feel genuinely 'sorry' for people who allowed themselves to be duped so blatantly, by so many people, for so very long... especially when they themselves have always been such prime agents in their own deception. All the same: their feelings of anger, betrayal and reproach... those are things we can all understand, whether or not we share the sentiments ourselves. And there can be no doubt that Malta's trapping community has been cynically exploited and de- ceived – by just about everyone and his kelb tal-kacca, in fact – ever since the long-term future of trapping first became an issue in the early 1990s. Ironically, the only people who ever told them the full truth about EU regulations were Birdlife Malta and Alternattiva Demokratika: the two entities (BLM in particular) that the hunters and trappers' associa- tions now hold most responsible for the ECJ ruling. This, I must admit, has me slightly perplexed. Speaking for myself: I would be grateful – not resentful – to someone who actually told me the truth about an issue I held close to heart... even if 'the truth' was not exactly music to my ears. Hunters and trappers, on the other hand, only ever seem interested in hearing their own arguments parroted by oth- ers... while consistently reacting with hostility and aggression, whenever anyone dares sing from any hymn-book other than their own. Clearly, some people find it hard – if not downright impos- sible – to distinguish between 'the truth' and 'what they want to hear'. But then again, hunt- ers and trappers are hardly the only culprits on that score. I have seen (and experienced) the same phenomenon on count- less occasions: for instance, whenever I write articles that do not echo the political viewpoint that some people seem to think I should adhere to religiously... because... um... well, it's their political viewpoint; so it natu- rally follows that everyone else has to subscribe to it, too. To be honest, I find that sort of pigheaded arrogance infinitely more offensive when it comes from people who also seem to think of themselves as 'spokes- persons' for Democracy itself... purveyors of such lofty princi- ples as 'justice', 'free speech' and 'the rule of law'... and yet, who rarely seem capable of compre- hending even the most basic aspects of any of those ideals themselves. Meanwhile, I am unaware of any hunter or trapper who ever projected himself in such terms. So, I'm perfectly willing to close an eye at the (often outrageous) irrationality of their response to criticism over the years... which, in a nutshell, has only ever been to shoot the messenger, as deftly and unthinkingly as they might shoot down a migratory bird. What I find slightly harder to excuse is the response of all the people who lied to them so shamelessly over the years. No shortage of these, by the way: it wasn't just the Nationalist and Labour Parties... but also the regulatory authorities, all the 'experts' who advised govern- ment on the implementation of the derogation... not to mention a great chunk of the local media: including both party stations and (more regrettably) TVM. All of the above have con- tributed to this utterly absurd assumption that Malta was somehow within its rights to 'apply a derogation' on finch trapping, when – as has finally been confirmed by the highest legal authority in such matters – there was never any reason to believe that at all: still less any solid argumentation that could hope to survive scrutiny by the European Court. It has all been explained be- fore... but of course, they never listened because it wasn't what they wanted to hear. But the reality is that, while the possibil- ity to 'derogate' from European law does exist... the derogation itself has to be underpinned by rational arguments that consti- tute a 'judicious' reason not to apply the directive. Article 9 – which governs derogations to the European Wild Birds Directive – allows for exceptions to be made only in the following cases: "In the interests of public health and safety; in the interests of air safe- ty; to prevent serious damage to crops [etc.]; for the protection of flora and fauna; for the purposes of research and teaching [etc.]..." and – this is the critical one, in our context – "to permit, under strictly supervised conditions and on a selective basis, the Raphael Vassallo This battle is not over... yet Position may be co-funded through European Union Funding/Bilateral Funds PROGRAMME OFFICER (EU FUNDS) Applications are invited for the positions of Programme Officer (EU Funds) in the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality. Applications will be received at the Corporate Services Directorate, Ministry for European Affairs and Equality, 31B, Tal- Pilar, Marsamxett Road, Valletta, VLT 1850 by not later than noon of Monday, 9 th July 2018. 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