'Secret' report on hunting was 'tabled' in Parliament

A document which Alternattiva Demokratika's spokesman on EU affairs, Arnold Cassola, described as secret was, according to the government, tabled in Parliament almost three years ago.

Prof. Cassola said yesterday the government quotes a "secret" document every time it tries to justify the "right" of Maltese hunters to hunt in spring.

"It is absurd that this phantomatic EU document (CONF-M 110/02) the Maltese government is always referring to is not available to the public," he added.

In fact, a request by Green MEP Bart Staes for this European Union common position dated September 27, 2002 got the following answer from the Malta-EU Information Centre: "This is not a public document. The requested details can be obtained by contacting the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Environment - EU Affairs Directorate".

Prof. Cassola said this code of silence and patronising mentality on the part of the Maltese authorities cannot continue. The Maltese and Gozitans have joined the EU in order to get easy access to all information. Openness and transparency are keywords of the EU.

"We demand that this 'mysterious' document be immediately made available for public scrutiny," Prof. Cassola said.

However, the government said it had nothing to hide, calling on Prof. Cassola to check his facts before making public statements.

The document was not "mysterious" in any way, so much so that it was tabled in Parliament in January 2003. The government has equally tabled all other documentation related to the EU negotiations.

"Such statements by AD are harming Malta and the government's efforts to safeguard the traditions of hunting and trapping. The Maltese deserve better," the government said.