Flemish Parliament debates hunting in Malta

A resolution condemning bird hunting in Malta and in particular the decision to allow hunting to proceed during spring is being discussed by the Flemish Parliament in Belgium.

This was announced by Johan Sauwens, mayor of Bilzen, a village in north Belgium, during a debate on hunting in Malta organised by the Flemish section of Bird Protection Belgium.

The debate in Ghent, one of the major cities of Belgium, attracted about 200 participants and was also addressed by Belgian Environment Minister Bruno Tobback, Green MEP Bart Staes and by Arnold Cassola, secretary general of the European Greens and Alternattiva Demokratika's spokesman on EU affairs.

Mr Sauwens said the resolution before the Flemish Parliament is supported by all the political groups represented in the House and calls for a condemnation of spring hunting and the illegal shooting of protected birds in Malta.

Before the debate, in which many of those present spoke against the European Commission's stand of allowing Malta to derogate from the Birds Directive and to continue to allow hunting of quails and turtle doves in spring, MPs were shown the documentary Malta: A Birdless Island? shot in Malta during last spring's hunting season.

Jan Rodts, for Bird Protection Belgium, said the campaign in favour of a spring hunting ban in Malta is gaining increased support as more people sign the petition raised by Bird Protection Belgium.

The 35-minute documentary was screened for the first time at the European Parliament in Brussels last June.

Another screening of the documentary and a debate will be held on Saturday in Opglabbeek in what seems to be a campaign throughout all the major cities of Belgium.