Our front page story citing hunting officials claiming to have come close to signing a “memorandum of understanding” to endorse Labour is very worrying.
It is even worse than Joseph Muscat’s reply to a question on whether his government would consider holding a referendum on spring hunting merely confirmed why most hunters feel the Labour Party is their natural home.
By answering No, without a moment’s hesitation, to a straight question during The Times leaders’ debate last Tuesday, Dr Muscat showed his party was not even prepared to listen to a silent majority which is simply demanding that Malta sticks to EU rules.
Dr Muscat also inadvertently painted himself into a corner because the holding of a referendum on hunting might not even be in his hands. An abrogative referendum could be forced if 10 per cent of voters sign a petition.
The Labour leader’s consistent pledge to give Maltese hunters the same treatment as European ones only convinces those completely unaware of the EU’s Birds Directive. If Maltese hunters receive the same treatment as their European counterparts that means they cannot hunt in spring.
The Nationalist Government persisted in challenging the law on spring...
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