Birdlife has claimed that the CEO of the hunters’ lobby, Lino Farrugia, carried out a “physical attack” on the head of the Wild Birds Regulation Unit, Richard Lia.

In a statement signed by Birdlife Malta communications manager Nathaniel Attard, the NGO said it had written to ministers requesting immediate action.

It called on them to suspend Mr Farrugia “once and for all” from the ORNIS committee.

“BirdLife Malta is shocked at the aggressive attitude and physical attack” by Farrugia, it said.

It said the incident followed an argument with top government official Lia earlier on Wednesday during an ORNIS committee meeting.

Lino Farrugia of the FKNK

When contacted, Farrugia admitted the two had argued and he had a shouting match with Lia over an item on the agenda, but that it was he who had defended himself from Lia.

“He got up for me and I pushed him,” he claimed.

They had not come to blows, he added when asked.

He would not say what the two had argued about.

BirdLife Malta CEO Mark Sultana said: “While we want to show our solidarity with Mr Lia, we cannot understand how in this day and age we still have the FKNK lobby led by people who would resort to physical abuse to get what they want. This is unacceptable.”

The NGO said it asked for Mr Farrugia’s suspension because it wants the “safety and security” of all the other members of the committee.

The Ornis committee makes recommendations to the government on seasons and other matters regarding hunting and trapping.